Games of Thrones’ Hodor may enter politics over same-sex marriage
The Games of Thrones actor who played Hodor may go into politics to over the issue of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
Kristian Nairn played the lovable giant of a 6’10” man in HBO’s hit show until his heartbreaking untimely death during the last season.
He has called Northern Ireland’s failure to pass same-sex marriage legislation “a disgrace.”
The actor, who came out as gay in 2014, added: “I really don’t understand why we’re the only little enclave of the country that can’t do it.
“I hope that we can come into line with the rest of Europe and the rest of the United Kingdom and Ireland.”
Nairn added: “There’s so much other horrible s*** happening in the world at the minute, I think it’s the least of their worries.
“I think we need to get it sorted out as soon as possible.
“I don’t see why people are so concerned at what other people do behind closed doors or in their lives,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
Nairn, who has said he’s happy to help fight stereotypes, commented that because of the issue, “of course I have had thoughts about going into politics.
“I certainly don’t mean now, definitely not, but in the future who knows?” he said.
He criticised the DUP, which has long blocked same-sex marriage in the country but recently lost its power to veto laws.
“It seems the DUP who are, or were, the predominant party, haven’t exactly done my community any favours,” Nairn said.
“I definitely would be prepared to make the change myself if it’s going to help my community and help other people.
“I’ve thought about running for office for later in life, not for now. I definitely have something to say.
“I don’t want anything wildly different to what we have now. It’s just making sure that everyone’s treated equally.”
He said that as far as he was concerned, this was not a revolutionary approach.
“Is that so progressive? I don’t think it’s progressive, I think it’s human. And not just gay people – women’s rights, immigrants, people of different ethnic backgrounds.
“I just don’t see why people are treated differently or with a different set of rules. It’s just wrong,” he added.
Nairn reportedly lives with his mother Pat, who works for LGBT support service the Rainbow Project.
He said in his experience, “people are so lovely in this country. I love coming home”.
But when it came to same-sex marriage, he said the issue was “being decided for us by people who I feel are completely outdated in their views and are perhaps not making decisions for the right reasons”.
Nairn said this was “saddening,” adding that there should be a complete separation of church and state, which would be an earth-shaking shift in Northern Ireland.
“I saw what religion did to people when I grew up and I certainly didn’t want any part of it. That turned me off it,” he said.
“I don’t see the benefit in giving yourself a belief system that allows you to judge other people.
“So I am a big advocate for completely separating Church and State – I don’t think it has any business in political decisions.
“I think a lot of problems in this world would stop if people could stay out of other people’s business.”
Nairn’s performance during Hodor’s death scene was nominated for MTV’s new Tearjerker award.
The honour will form part of MTV’s rebranded, gender-neutral films and TV awards show.
In 2014, a month after Nairn came out, his fellow Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams wished for “gay marriage (to be) legal everywhere”.
