Eternals star, Kit Harington, might have made it through all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, but behind the scenes, it was a very taxing experience for the actor. On the hit HBO fantasy series, Harington starred as fan favorite, Jon Snow, a character who was consistently surrounded by death and despair. After eight seasons in the role, Harington needed to take a year off when the show ended to focus on his mental health.

Recently, Kit Harington appeared as a guest on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show. He confirmed that the end of Game of Thrones was what led to him checking into a mental health and wellness facility in May 2019, the same month the show ended. After he felt ready to return to acting, the pandemic further delayed his plans to get back at it, as he regaled on the show.

"I went through some mental health difficulties after Thrones, and during the end of Thrones, to be honest," Harington said. "I think it was directly due to the nature of the show and what I had been doing for years." He added that he needed to "really concentrate on myself," noting that he was "really happy I did that."

In the interview, Kit Harington also says that the pandemic hit just as he was "wanting to come back to work." Recently, he filmed an episode for the second season of Modern Love for Amazon Prime in a part that's not at all like Jon Snow. For his part, Harington took on the role in part because he just wanted to do something "fun" after so many years on something like Game of Thrones.

"You don't have to live in that intense place all the time," Harington said. "Why don't you do something that takes the weight off? Why don't you do something fun?"

Harington has previously recalled how stressful it was for him when so many Game of Thrones fans were questioning the fate of his character. At the end of the show's fifth season, Jon Snow was stabbed and presumably killed, though many fans were sure he'd somehow be resurrected in season 6. In between seasons, Harington was frequently asked by strangers if he was still alive, and all of that extra attention made the role that much more stressful.

"[It was] f--king terrifying," Harington told Variety in 2019. 'You get people shouting at you on the street, 'Are you dead?' At the same time you have to have this appearance. All of your neuroses - and I'm as neurotic as any actor - get heightened with that level of focus."

Harington will soon be seen on the big screen when Eternals is released in theaters on November 5th, 2021. Directed by Chloe Zhao, the superhero movie features the Game of Thrones star as part of an ensemble cast that also includes his old co-star Richard Madden, as well as Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, and more. A first look at Harington in the movie was revealed in the trailer.

Harington also made a special appearance for Friends: The Reunion on HBO Max. The second season of Modern Love featuring Harington will premiere on Amazon Prime on August 13th. This news comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter.