Game of Thrones Star Kit Harington has checked himself into a rehab center due to issues related to stress and alcohol.
The report comes from PageSix, who indicate the actor has been at the Connecticut based rehab center called Privé-Swiss for almost a month. In fact, they claim he arrived at the center on May 19th, weeks before the show’s finale.
A representative for Harington confirmed Harington was staying at a “wellness retreat.”
“Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues.”
According to the report, the British born actor is “undergoing psychological coaching, practicing mindful meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy to combat stress and deal with negative emotions.” The facility allegedly costs $120,000 per month for treatment.
A source told Page Six, “The end of ‘Got’ really hit Kit hard … He realized ‘this is it – this is the end’, it was something they had all worked so hard on for so many years. He had a moment of, what next?” They added, “He’s in the clinic predominantly for stress and exhaustion and also alcohol.”
The source also noted that Kit’s wife fellow Game of Thrones actress Rose Leslie “is being extremely supportive.” Leslie played one of Jon Snow’s love interests Ygritte. The sourced continued, “Everyone close to him really wanted him to get some rest. Right now, he just needs peace and quiet.”
Harrington does have the ability to leave the facility. Locals have spotted the actor on multiple occasions. He was spotted in RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, Connecticut.
One resident commented on Kit’s health:
“Kit looks really good and appears to be very focused on his health and wellness. I have personally seen him out in the community many times. I think it’s wonderful that he is taking time to take care of himself – more people should.”
The effects of the final season have hit both the actors and the fans quite hard. Harington discussed his reaction to reading the series finale script on the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon.
He told Fallon, “I was very shocked and surprised at certain events,”…and then I blubbed my eyes out. I cried.”
Harington has openly discussed his struggles. He recently spoke with Variety and admitted he had begun therapy. He also discussed the “darkest” point in his life noting it coincided with Jon Snow dying and coming back to life.
“It wasn’t a very good time in my life. I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there — like I think a lot of people do in their 20s. That was a time when I started therapy, and started talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, and I wasn’t talking to anyone. I had to feel very grateful for what I have, but I felt incredibly concerned about whether I could even f—ing act.”
Harington would also describe his darkest period.
“My darkest period was when the show seemed to become so much about Jon when he died and came back. I really didn’t like the focus of the whole show coming onto Jon – even though it was invalidating my problem about being the weak link because things were about Jon.”
He pointed to how much attention he started receiving.
When you become the cliffhanger of a TV show, and a TV show probably at the height of its power, the focus on you is f****** terrifying.
In April, Kit Harington spoke to Esquire about how intense the final scene was for him. He stated he went into a “full-on breakdown.”
“My final day of shooting, I felt fine … I felt fine … I felt fine … then I went to do my last shots and started hyperventilating a bit …Then they called ‘Wrap!’ and I just f****** broke down. It was this onslaught of relief and grief about not being able to do this again. It wasn’t so much about Jon. It was about not being in this world, not getting to smell those smells, fight those fights, be with these people—the whole package.
He added:
“But the weirdest bit was when we came off set and they started taking the costume off and it felt like being skinned. It felt like they were unceremoniously for the last time ripping off this character. I was still blubbering my tears. The costume girls were like, ‘F******, come on, get it together.’ I’m being very actorly and crying. I remember going, ‘Wait, wait, wait!’ And they wouldn’t. They just ripped. [Pantomimes sleeves being taken off.] I was like, ‘I need to say goodbye.’ But it was too late. He was gone.
What do you make of Kit Harington checking into rehab?