The INSIDER Summary:
- Kit Harington plays Jon Snow on "Game of Thrones."
- He's told an amazing story about showing up for his audition with a black eye.
- Harington says he got into a fight at a McDonald's the night before.
- But "Game of Thrones" casting director Nina Gold told INSIDER that she doesn't recall the black eye.
- She only remembers Harington being "mind-blowingly good."
"Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington had quite the experience auditioning for his role of Jon Snow. According to a 2016 interview with W Magazine, Harington showed up to the audition with a black eye after getting into a fight at a McDonald's the night before.
And though Harington credits the black eye with helping him land the role of a brooding Jon Snow, the casting director doesn't even remember the dramatic appearance.
"I'm afraid I don't recall his black eye," Gold told INSIDER recently. "All I remember is that he was really, really mind-blowingly good."
Gold has been behind nearly every casting choice for "Game of Thrones" and she's an award-winning member of the Casting Society of America.
Gold first spotted Harington when he was starring in a 2009 London production of "Warhorse." She brought him in for an audition, and the rest was history.
"I remember that he was quite tired, because he'd been doing eight shows a week in 'Warhorse' for a year," Gold said. "Then he started doing the audition and playing Jon Snow and he was completely brilliant. I do recall the emotional impact of his audition and being blown away. Kit is a phenomenal actor."
The fact that Harington's lasting impression is one of emotional impact and not the black eye he was sporting says a lot about the actor.
According to Harington's version of events, he was out with a girl the night before his audition and they stopped at a McDonald's for some food. When a man they were seated next to began verbally insulting his date, Harington stood up and effectively called him up for a fight.
Unfortunately the man turned out to be much taller than Harington, which led to the future Jon Snow being clobbered in a McDonald's.
Watch Harington explain the tale behind the shiner in the interview with W magazine below: