Kit Harington on Testament of Youth and the scars of war

Wanting to do something “wildly different” from his warrior role in Game of Thrones, Harington found the challenge he was looking for in Testament of Youth, a compelling film adaptation of Vera Brittain’s memoir of her experiences during the First World War.

Kit Harington and Alice Vikander in Testament of Youth. Courtesy BBC Films

Typecasting is an occupational hazard for actors, particularly if you’re a star of one of the most successful shows on television.

For Kit Harington, who plays warrior Jon Snow in HBO's fantasy phenomenon Game of Thrones, it's no surprise that he is constantly being courted for similar roles.

“I kept getting swords-and-sandals movies through the door,” he says. “I know that’s where the industry sees me.”

He even appeared in one, as a slave-turned-gladiator in last year's Pompeii – but enough was enough.

“I didn’t get into acting to do one genre or one story or one character,” he says.

Telling his agents that he wanted to do something "wildly different", the 28-year-old found the fresh challenge he was looking for in Testament of Youth, a compelling film adaptation of Vera Brittain's memoir of her experiences during the First World War.

The book has become a key text in the study of the war. Harington knew it from his school days and was immediately attracted to the role of Roland Leighton, who courts Vera (Alicia Vikander) before leaving to fight in the trenches.

“What was really interesting was that he’s the light and youth and love,” Harington says. “He’s the sunshine quality – or him and her are – at the beginning of the film. But the minute he comes back from war, he’s the start of that collapse in her story. That was important to me.

“I found the idea of a soldier coming back from war and trying to connect with the person they love a really interesting thing to investigate.”

Vera witnessed many harrowing sights at the front when she became a nurse, and Harington says he had some understanding of just how difficult it must’ve been for her to convey and deal with the scale of such horrors.

“She may have been typical of many people from that generation, who maybe write it down in a book but didn’t feel they could open up,” he says. “I know my grandfather came back from the Second World War and didn’t speak about it once. I remember him very affectionately – a lovely man – but he never spoke about his experiences.”

With relatives serving in the military, Harington was fascinated by war growing up. He even considered becoming a journalist, idolising such iconic British correspondents as John Simpson.

“I was quite an idealistic young chap, I think, and I liked the idea of going and changing the world by bringing people’s attention to conflicts,” he says. “It was something in journalism I wanted to do. I saw a goodness there I wanted to achieve.”

In the end, Harington was more swayed by acting, attending London's Central School of Speech and Drama and landing his first role in the hugely successful stage version of War Horse. An equally successful run in the play Posh followed, before he was cast in Game of Thrones. But such early success made him nervous.

"I used to be very concerned about it all vanishing, to the point where every year with Thrones I'd go: 'The next season isn't happening – I know it's not,' " he says.

Thankfully, there’s no sign of Harington’s golden touch deserting him.

Coming up is a lead role in Spooks: The Greater Good, a movie sequel to the popular BBC TV espionage drama Spooks (also known as MI-5 in some countries), which is due to be released in May.

Before then, of course, he'll be back as Snow in season five of Game of Thrones, which begins on April 12.

“We’ve got very secretive this year,” he says, and declines to give any details of what’s in store for fear of spoilers.

Asked if he is happy with Snow’s story arc in the new season, he says with a smile: “Some of the hopes I have for him are achieved in this season.

“I get some pretty incredible scenes. I don’t know how to say it without saying it – but it’s an amazing season.”

• Testament of Youth opens in cinemas on Thursday, February 12