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He's most known as Hodor and Game of Thrones a fan favorite. Christian Narren is also an author. His newest memoir is called Beyond the Throne. He's joining us now to talk about it, and Christian. Just reading about the memoir itself, I'm struck by the line from the Grateful Dead song, what a long, strange trip it's been.
Wow, that is probably very accurate. Actually it does, I'm gonna tell you it does. Fila got from my side as well.
You started out in Ireland when you were a young man, when Ireland was in a pretty tumultuous time.
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think we're all very grateful that it's not quite that way now. I'm very proud of how it's changed. Actually, we obviously still have it cheese like every place, but yeah, I don't with Game of Thrones and stuff. It's just nice to have a spotlight shown on the country for a different reason.
Mm hmm. Well, and I don't know that people realize how tumultuous it was because so many generations have passed since there was that religious strife between the people of Ireland and but at the same time, when you were living and growing up, did you personally experience any of any of the violence.
Yeah, I mean, I don't say this as a sob story, my friend, because we all went through this in Belfast and Ireland. We all have a shared experience and a shared trauma, and some of us are very badly affected. Some of us got through it and in a lighter way, but it was a very dark time. And normalize being knocked off your feet by bomb blasts on a regular basis and obstantly been evacuated, seeing people being shocked, just that kind of thing where we all have this in
our dna. I actually think it's where we have the Irish sense of humor from. We have this crazy sense. I'm telling you right now, he's traveled every country in the world. Basically, no one gets our sense of humor like we do because it's black people will get it. And I think we're being kind of cruel, But that's just how we coped, you know, the only way. That's why we have such a unique sense of humor. But I loved my country and I love on both sides of the border. I'm so proud to be from there.
He's known as Hodor and Game of Thrones. His newest memoirs called Beyond the Throne his first memoir where he shares behind the scenes stories of the perils and triumphs of Game of Thrones. And if you're a fan, you'll love this. Christianairean is with us. Now, did you draw upon any of those experiences growing up in a tumultuous time in Ireland when you had to act out a tumultuous scene on Game of Thrones?
Well, actually no, I'm going to say no, but not consciously. But obviously everything I do is probably going to be influenced by that, just like we all are. I really called more on my own sort of shyness and introversion for one of a better word, when I was a child and teenager even, and that's what I put into Holder, and that's what I put into those scenes. I was like, I would I have reacted when I didn't have the
experiences I have. I was trying to put myself back to when it was more innocent and shy and really put myself in that position. I would I have reacted back then? And that's kind of what I poured in there, so I think you're actually right. I think those experiences did partly go into it.
Christionnaireing Beyond the Throne is his memoir, And let's talk a little about about your growing up, because I don't know that there's anything long and strange about becoming an actor on a hit show like a Game of Thrones, but it is when you are not a trained actor, or which you were not.
Yeah, it was kind of more short and strange. I am trying now I should say, yes, of course, yeah, that's yeah. I kind of had I had the best on the job training, you know, which wasn't given to me. I took it assume that I was on this amazing set with these incredible actors from all over the world, and I would be insane not to try and learn from that. You know, these are the top of their game. So I just tried to be like a sponge. But yeah, I s it's bizarre, really maybe short and strange the
way I got into it. I definitely wasn't passed.
Christiannaire and Beyond the Throne is his memoir about his days and not only on Game of Thrones but growing up in Ireland and one of your adventures led you to DJing and a club. How did you get into that?
Well, I was actually performing. It was probably the world's most unlikely drag artist at the time. The club in Belfast, and literally one night as DJ phoned in sick and I said, well, I have a last music collection and I know how to DJ because I went to me to college. I fell then and a Literally I must have done something right because since that night I've just been at DJ and I haven't stopped.
DJA and has been since well for the past two decades. So you're still actively doing that.
Yeah, three three decades. I'm coming up to three, almost thirty years. Yep.
What is it about DJing that that makes you happy?
Well, it's the crowd really. I mean we get gratification, instant reaction, which you don't really get as an actor unless you didn't theater. That's a huge high. But the crowd can affect me as much as I affect them, you know, as they're not having a great night or there's a weird mood. I love that though. I love the whole emotional roller coaster of it all. It's very dramatic, you know.
I'm from Game of Thrones as whole door, but he's also had appearances on the appearance Robin Hood Rebellion, Mythical The God Slayer, and television shows like The Rookie Christian Naire. And is with us. Of the co stars that you were working with on Game of Thrones, which one do you think taught you the most.
The most? That's interesting. Normally I say here because he would be the one I was with most, but I guess if we're going for taught, I would say Ron Donald No, Ron Donalkey and Donald Sumpter Bosom. Yeah, there was sort of older actors. Ron played a sell he was the arms master in winter Fell, and Donald tays like the old sort of doctor meister Lewin. They had just such old skill acting techniques. I'm just wonderful to watch.
Every take was different, Like we also were always encouraged to for editing sake, try to do something very similar slightly different, but for another take you'll do something slightly different. They would give it slightly different performance, and it was really wonderful to watch. It was almost like watching live theater. So I'll definitely give it to one of those two.
Speaking of which you were you were always filming in very gothic locations where the weather wasn't always very favorable.
Yeah, I mean that's home for me though. Yeah, some of the things were like five miles from my house. Oh okay, yeah, I live in western els Man, So yeah, that was I'm kind of used to that. But it wasn't like at some at some stages, especially the night shoots, and then went through that. That was. That was rough.
Kristin Naron is with us hod Or from Game of Thrones and his memoir is out. It's called Beyond the Throne. You know, you're still a pretty young guy. A lot of people usually wait till they're about ready to retire to write a memoir.
What inspired you, Well, that's when I learned the difference in a photobiography and a memoir. I didn't know before this because I was like, my Lef's not over, I can't write this. But then this is just the first part of my life. I say it as and I do actually plan to write another one because I forgot half the stuff and you're like, oh, okay, I forgot about that, And I don't feel that right reached my final destination yet, so I'm still very much working and
seeing what happens. So I am interested to see if I can write another book, but I definitely planned to.
Was there a friend or relative that encouraged you, Oh, you want to write a book?
Mm hmmm, I don't know. Really. My mom was very behind. Obviously. I talked quite a lot about her in the book, and I had to get her. I wanted to be respectful and express permission to talk about all that stuff. But yeah, I don't think it really suck any my family's opinions out side.
Of that, Christianaire, yeah, uh, Beyond and your moms, I imagine she was very supportive all through your childhood and your choices of career and and choices of of how you were going to spend your time.
Yeah, even when she didn't always agree with the mom, she always backed me up. And she still does so this very day.
I'm very lucky Beyond the Throne his first memoir, Christiannaire, and is with us. And let's talk about some of the projects you've got coming. The Game of Thrones is not where it ends.
Oh well, I've got a lot of comic cons coming up. I've been working on a lot of them. In new music, I've been writing some poetry, working on some more writing as well, and there's a few projects with I'm not allowed to talk about amount of the Typical Actors book. We all do the actor thing, you know. I'm that's so boring, but that's yeah to any time coming up. I'm very excited.
I imagine you're a big hit at comic cons.
It's fun. Man. I never expect any of this, but yeah, I'm always very busy at comic cons, and i always try to be very respectful to my fans, like saying my fans, you know, it's weird. I love them and the fact that they spend their money and they come out and they're so kind. It means the world to me.
Beyond the Throne Christian Narren is the writer of the memoir you know as Hodor on Game of Thrones. We thank you for joining us and for bringing us this book.
Thank you for having me.
Thanks for listening to Later with Lee Matthews, the Lee Matthews Podcast, and remember to listen to The Drive Live weekday afternoons from five to seven and iHeartMedia Presentation