While “Game of Thrones” became known for its high character death toll,actors in earlier seasons at least knew when their characters’ time was up. For example, Sean Bean was aware of his one-season commitment, much like Pedro Pascal in season 4. However, as the show progressed beyond the books, job security diminished for most of the cast. From season 6 onward, anyone could be written out at any moment.
The demise of Hodor in season 6’s “The Door” was the first death too highlight this reality. After faithfully assisting Bran and Meera on their journey, Hodor sacrifices himself to hold a door against an army of wights, allowing the others to escape. In a tragic twist, it’s revealed that Bran’s time-traveling and warging inadvertently caused Hodor’s mental impairment in childhood. Hodor (originally named Wylis) repeats “Hodor” constantly because he’s echoing Meera’s desperate command to “Hold the door,” a warning of his impending doom. His catchphrase becomes a lifelong echo of his final act.
This sequence shocked both book readers and show-only viewers. It also greatly surprised Kristian Nairn, Hodor’s actor, who didn’t know his character’s fate when he auditioned.To add insult to injury, his character was killed off on his 40th birthday.
“In the most ‘Game of Thrones,’ Orwellian twist ever, they killed me on my 40th birthday. That was intense,” nairn said in a 2024 interview. “Part of me was looking forward to leaving, honestly, because it have been six years and, as much as I loved the people, this was my new career and I was looking forward to doing something different. …But, as the day came closer and closer, I dreaded more and more that I’d be leaving the people I really loved and think of as family.”
Nairn hoped viewers could appreciate the sheer tragedy of Hodor’s character
Hodor’s death, though not the first to deviate from the books, marked a significant spoiler for George R.R. Martin’s yet-to-be-published “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. The twist, likely conceived by Martin himself, became a defining moment of season 6.
The time travel reveal in Hodor’s final moments was lauded by fans and critics as a highlight of season 6, despite the translation challenges posed by the pun-based nature of the revelation. The bleak ending for the beloved character deeply affected Nairn.
“The showrunners believed he was going to be one of the characters people really latched onto and liked,” Nairn said. “I was like, ‘Really? He’s kind of a glorified wheelbarrow! … I tried to leave a bit of space in [Hodor] for people to put themselves in there and see how they would feel in that situation.He was always so nice and so obliging. Can you imagine yourself doing that for someone and still having to sleep with the dogs? It’s Cinderella syndrome.”
Since “Game of Thrones,” Nairn has pursued acting with roles in projects like “Robin Hood: The Rebellion” (2018) and “Unwelcome” (2023). He also had a significant role in the 2022 HBO Max series “Our Flag Means Death”, playing the pyromaniac pirate John Feeney. While Nairn has maintained his DJ career, his TV and film success largely stems from landing the role of Hodor. As Nairn stated about his audition, “It changed my life from A to Z.”
