Hooray for Hodor! Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, who plays the beloved friendly giant on the hit HBO series, revealed Tuesday, March 11 that he is gay.
The British star first shared the news with a Game of Thrones fan blog, Winter Is Coming, after responding to a question about his extensive “bear” following among the LGBT community. “Well, in all honesty, when you talk about ‘the gay community,’ you are talking about MY community,” the 6’10” actor clarified to the blog.
“I AM aware of it yeah, and I think it’s really lovely. There’s not a day that I don’t get a few messages, but 99 percent or more are super sweet and nothing smutty at all! Again, it’s a privilege, and I really mean that,” he continued.
“I’ve never hidden my sexuality from anyone, my whole life in fact,” Nairn said. “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about it in an interview, [because] it’s not something you just blurt out. I’ve tried to lead the questions a few times, to no avail!”
Nairn’s costars on the hit series are aware of the actor’s sexuality, he revealed in his interview, and it’s “not even been an issue” on set. “It’s a very small part of who I am on the whole, but nonetheless, in this day and age, it’s important to stand up and be counted. I have and always will stand my ground.”
Fans expressed their support for Nairn following Tuesday’s news. “Even though it was never hidden, it still takes courage to say it to media!” one user tweeted. The actor responded, “Haha. Yeah it’s weird to see ‘comes out’ as the headline !! I was never in !! No one asked ! Lol.”
Season 4 of Game of Thrones returns Sunday, April 6.