Kit Harington is joining another sprawling, magical universe after “Game of Thrones.”
The Jon Snow actor is now lending his voice to the “Harry Potter” world through Audible’s audiobook series, which debuted last month with “The Sorcerer’s Stone.” Harington plays the wizarding celebrity, arrogant author and one-time Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, in “The Chamber of Secrets,” released by Audible on Tuesday.
A self-proclaimed “Harry Potter” nerd, Harington fell in love with author J.K. Rowling’s books as a kid and has re-read them many times over the years. Now, the “Game of Thrones” and Marvel’s “Eternals” star is adding another major franchise to his resume with Lockhart, who was previously brought to life by Kenneth Branagh in the Warner Bros. movies.
Harington is one of many Hollywood actors voicing “Harry Potter” characters in the Audible audiobooks. “Succession” star Matthew Macfadyen plays Voldemort, Keira Knightley voices Dolores Umbridge, Riz Ahmed is Prof. Snape and James McAvoy is Mad-Eye Moody, among many other A-list castings. Several other “Game of Thrones” alumni are also along for the magical ride: Mark Addy, who played Robert Baratheon on “Thrones,” voices Hagrid; Ramsay Bolton actor Iwan Rheon is Prof. Lupin; and Yara Greyjoy actress Gemma Whelan is Prof. Sprout in the “Harry Potter” audiobooks.
With Variety, Harington discusses playing Lockhart, finding his character’s voice and why he’s not in a rush to do a “Game of Thrones” audiobook.
What’s your relationship like with “Harry Potter”? Have you read the books or watched the movies?
I’m a big book nerd. I never really got into the movies so much. I did watch them, but I didn’t come to it through them. I loved the books when I was growing up. I was one of those people who was given the book — I was 11 and Harry was 11. I grew up with them. Then they kind of left my life for a bit as I got older. Then I rediscovered them through the audiobooks with Stephen Fry. I’ve gone to bed every evening for the past six or seven years listening to them just on notation, and it’s a kind of sleep aid for me. I know them like the back of my hand. I’m a complete nerd for the books.
What’s your favorite book?
Probably “Half-Blood Prince.”
I’m a big “Goblet of Fire” fan. It’s my favorite book and movie, and I love the whole Triwizard Tournament.
It’s good and it’s got a great ending. I have some questions about the plot holes during the tournament. It’s not a great tournament to watch, is it? Other than the dragon one, they don’t get to see underwater and they can’t see in the maze, so I don’t see what’s in it for the rest of the school?
Did you ever audition for a role in any of the movies?
No, I was a bit too old. I think Daniel Radcliffe is a few years younger than me. I would have done them, had those auditions come up.
How did you get involved with the audiobook?
It’s very simple. They asked whether I wanted to play Lockhart. It was a really simple yes, because I love the character. As far as cameos in a series go, you don’t get much more entertaining and fun to do as an actor than Gilderoy Lockhart. It was a no-brainer.
There was a part of me that was wondering, “Why have they come to me for Lockhart?” I didn’t want to go into why that was too much and why they thought that was my casting breakout. I got my recording done in a couple of days because he’s in Book Two, and then he reappears in Book Five briefly. He’s just a lovely little, entertaining, tragic comical character who popped in. I think I’ve got it quite easy.
How did you find Lockhart’s voice?
There was very little research needed because I know the book so well and because I essentially come from the same world as Lockhart. I look at it this way: There’s a little part of Lockhart in all of us, and there’s more than a little bit of Lockhart in me. So I didn’t need to stretch too far. I knew that if you’re coming in and doing audio, you’re gonna go quite big for a character like that. I didn’t want to play him too suave. He is that much removed from reality that he can be as big as you like.
I like Lockhart. I can see the trap he’s fallen into. I’ve probably fallen into it many times in my life being an actor. He’s a wonderful fable for anyone in the creative arts about getting ahead of yourself, hubris and this terrible lesson about seeing who you are but everyone else can see who you are. There’s a fear that we all have, like “Am I who I think I am or is everyone laughing at me behind my back?”
He returns in “Order of the Phoenix” briefly at St. Mungo’s Hospital with amnesia. Did you change how you voiced him at all for that section?
No, not really. I think he’s the same. When he comes back and they re-find him, he’s the same person, he just has lost his memory. There’s this quite tragic confusion about him. He’s trying to grasp on to what he was, but he hasn’t got all the facts there. He’s a more likable character because he can’t remember who he really is. You feel sorry for him, even though he’s a shyster and con artist. But that’s the lovely thing about Lockhart Maybe it’s just me, but I really like him. I’d like to spend a week with him.
Were there any tongue twisters you encountered while reading your lines?
The pixie spell. Pesky pixie…”Peskipiksi Pesternomi.” It’s the one where he releases the Cornish pixies. That was tricky.
Are you planning to introduce your kids to “Harry Potter” when they’re old enough to read?
Absolutely, I can’t wait to read the books to my kids. They’re gonna have to try and stop me. They’re gorgeous books for a parent to introduce reading and literature.
If there were a new “Game of Thrones” audiobook, who would you want to voice Jon Snow?
No, god no. I don’t wanna go anywhere near it. I spent 10 years doing that. Thanks, I’m alright.
Who would you want to play in HBO’s live-action “Harry Potter” series?
I’d take on any of them. I’ll be a background extra, I don’t care. I would love to be in that.