GoT’s Hodor, Kristian Nairn, comes out as gay, says it’s a ‘privilege’ to have gay fans

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As all of us Game of Thrones-fans were geeking out on yesterday’s Vanity Fair cover, I think most of us completely forgot about the Bran storyline. You know Bran Stark, the paraplegic Stark child who has visions and can see the future or the present or something? Yeah, that storyline sort of got away from me last season. I mean, I like Bran, but I just wasn’t paying that much attention to that story. Anyway, it’s become something of a meme because Bran has spent the past two seasons being carried around by Hodor, the gentle giant who can basically only say “Hodor.” The actor playing Hodor is named Kristian Nairn. And he just came out as gay – except he says he’s always been out and he’s only confirming it now publicly. The confirmation came in the midst of a totally geeky interview with Winter Is Coming, and I’m just pulling the questions about his sexuality:

Winter Is Coming: I have some friends in the gay community, “bears” as they’re wont to call themselves, who hold you on a pretty high pedestal. One good friend of mine (I’ve known since we were in the 5th grade together) says your bear following is “extensive.” Is this something you’re aware of?

Kristian: Well, in all honesty, when you talk about “the gay community,” you are talking about MY community, haha. I AM aware of it yeah, and I think it’s really lovely. There’s not a day that I don’t get a few messages, but 99% or more are super sweet and nothing smutty at all! Again, it’s a privilege, and I really mean that. I’ve never hidden my sexuality from anyone, my whole life in fact, and I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about it in an interview, cos it’s not something you just blurt out. I’ve tried to lead the questions a few times, to no avail!

WIC: Seeing as how some people might react negatively to it, did most of the cast and crew have an understanding of it? Or was it just never really brought up?

Kristian: I had an upbringing to respect other people’s privacy, and their right to be and choose what they want, and I expect, no, demand no less for myself. It’s a very small part of who I am on the whole, but nonetheless, in this day and age, it’s important to stand up and be counted. I have and always will stand my ground. So, yeah, people have been great, on the show, but I don’t see why it would be an issue.

WIC: I ask because I know there is a certain percentage of parents who might say, “Oh, well, I don’t want my child acting with a gay man.”

Kristian: I would love to see the children in question on the show react to [someone telling them] that. That’s so not even been an issue. The families and kids on the show are so switched on to reality, to “old ways” aren’t an issue.

[From Winter Is Coming]

Basically, I’m not writing about this because I think the 20th GoT supporting player’s sexuality is big news, I’m writing this because of the way he comes out and the follow-up questions from the Winter Is Coming blog. Because when I saw other coverage of this story, they just ran the quotes about him saying the gay community was his community. It didn’t even cross my mind that some people (a—holes, that’s who) might take issue with a gay man acting opposite child actors. Was that anyone else’s first thought? I mean, I’m sure there are some people “concerned” – those people who want to conflate homosexuality with pedophilia, I guess. But it bothered me that the blog went to that line of questioning immediately. HODOR.

Photos courtesy of Getty, HBO/GoT.

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27 Responses to “GoT’s Hodor, Kristian Nairn, comes out as gay, says it’s a ‘privilege’ to have gay fans”

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  1. QQ says:

    *swoon*… Or in the parlance… HODOR!!

    • Liv says:

      So funny to see Hodor smile!

    • Crank says:

      Hodor! Jk, I don’t watch the show ha. If I was a parent, I’d be more worried about my kid acting in a show with nudity/excuse for porn than acting with a gay man. I’m going to get some flak, but I just can’t get into GoT at all. If you like it, good for you, I just can’t stand it for some reason…like I don’t like any of the characters at all, nothing to root for.

  2. spugzbunny says:

    I’m not sure if it wasn’t mentiond because he is legally a child but his main co-star Bran is also gay. He has always been very vocal about being out even at a young age. I’m pretty certain his parents wouldn’t be too concerned!

    • mom2two says:

      I had no idea about Bran! Good for him! KN has said on his twitter that he’s always been out which is why it confused him that this interview is being labeled as him coming out, just that no one has asked him about his sexuality before even though he said he’s tried to steer the conversation that way & no one took the bait. WIC.net is a fan site with a good relationship with HBO and the show, so I am pretty sure if he was uncomfortable with their questions, he would have been free to say so.

      Sadly, even though the questions about child actors around a homosexual man are there, there are people out there that feel this way (and that is just plain sad and gives me a little less hope for humanity) And believe me, as a parent, I would not be concerned about my child acting opposite a gay man or woman-I’d be more concerned about violence and nudity personally! I know the child actors on the show have said that their parents have read them the parts of the books that pertain to their characters. I know Bran has said this in interviews and I believe so did Sansa and Arya.

  3. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    Homosexuality and pedophilia are NOT the same thing! I can’t believe that jerk asked him that. How offensive and stupid and ignorant.

    • QQ says:

      That IS super gross conflating Homosexuality with being a child abuser of any stripe I woulda walked out of that interview had i been him

    • phlyfiremama says:

      At least he got to set the record straight on THAT nonsense! The homophobia so rampant today is utterly appalling, and absolutely vile. People are just people, and who they choose to love is no one’s business unless it is against someone’s capable consent. Period.
      Hodor!! We got your back, man~

  4. shump says:

    I saw him at Comic Con in London last year, going from one closed off area to another for picture signings and stuff. He’s massive! Like if you told me he was 7 feet tall, I’d believe it, massive. Anyway, I turned and saw him there and my eyes got all wide as it hit me that I was looking at Hodor. He smiled and winked at me, then ducked in the door. I was kicking myself all day for not reacting, he was really friendly and I had a camera in my hand and everything!

  5. Godwina says:

    Aw dammit. Now I actually have to buy a VF issue.

  6. Godwina says:

    Also, yeah: the fact that the blogger asked that question about “kids around gay men” says WAY more about him/her than it does about the gay community. I don’t want to know where his/her mind goes when the lights are off.

    w

    t

    f

  7. Amy Tennant says:

    HODORABLE

  8. Sixer says:

    The idea of one-word HODOR trying to skew interviews so he can do his media coming out and stand up to be counted when he’s out anyway and NOBODY NOTICED is my favourite thing ever ever ever ever ever. I am in HODOR love.

  9. Gwen says:

    The interview is a very nice read. There’s nothing offensive about it, when you read the entire interview IMO.

    http://winteriscoming.net/2014/03/interview-with-kristian-nairn/

  10. megs283 says:

    The Bran storyline is a major snoozefest for me…I know it’s all about the mythology of the land, blah blah blah but I couldn’t stand reading it and I get bored watching it!

    HODOR HODOR HODOR!

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Agree. I wanted him to go to the wall and find his brother so somebody would know he was still alive, but he kept veering off towards more and more boring adventures. Boo.

  11. Kim1 says:

    It is interesting that there are gays rumors about virtually every actor, supporting, lead, etc. online .Yet none about guys that look like him.

    • Rainbows says:

      Yep. Funny that. No Steve Buschemi rumors but the internet is filled with rumors of how Johnny Depp/Brad Pitt/every hot guy is just sadly closetted.

  12. SolitaryAngel says:

    Good for Hodor and Bran. Hodor!!

  13. Erm says:

    I’m guessing the interviewer asked him the “kids acting with a gay man” question more in the context of “some parents do not want their kids exposed to gayness in general because they are homophobic (the parents, I mean)” as opposed to suggesting that homosexuality and paedophilia are linked. Seriously. Paedophilia would not have crossed my mind except this write up suggested it.

  14. Sayrah says:

    Hodor!!

  15. Grant says:

    I so agree with you. What a strange line of questioning!

  16. Sandra says:

    I don’t think it’s a strange line of questioning – I think it’s part of the evolution that is happening when it comes to homosexual acceptance, which means breaking down all stereotypes and preconceived notions about it. I think it’s good that they asked the question. Get it out there! And then we can move on.