“This is probably not what they’re hoping for”
Nicholas Hoult has revealed that he auditioned for the part of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.
The Skins and X-Men: Dark Phoenix actor, 29, tried unsuccessfully to land the part that was eventually given to Kit Harington.
Speaking to Page Six at a screening of the new JRR Tolkien biopic Tolkien, in which he plays the titular role, Hoult said that he auditioned for the part while filming Clash of the Titans in 2009.
“I had long hair extensions [at the time],” he said. “They gave me a ponytail and also a very patchy fake tan.
“So I remember being like, ‘This is probably not what they’re hoping for’, and it obviously wasn’t.”
Nicholas Hoult as Tolkien
Meanwhile, Joe Dempsie – also a former Skins actor – who stars currently as Gendry in Game of Thrones revealed that he also tried to get the Jon Snow job.
“I auditioned for the pilot. I had no idea what Game of Thrones was. Didn’t get it. Kind of forgot about it,” he told Esquire this month. “Nobody knew it was going to become the biggest TV show on the planet at that point. It was just another audition.”
Gendry returns to Game of Thrones
In fact, Dempsie was rejected three times by producers of the HBO fantasy drama. After being turned down for the Jon Snow role, Dempsie later studied up on the books and auditioned twice more to play two different Night’s Watch characters – and was again rejected.
“[I] was convinced that they must just think I’m a terrible actor,” he said. “Then Gendry came along and again I went along to the audition and I think it was three auditions I had.”
The final season of Game of Thrones continues this Sunday, May 12 on Sky Atlantic (UK).
