‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kristian Nairn’s Mom Hospitalized, ‘Fighting for Her Life’

Kristian Nairn, who famously played Hodor on HBO’s Game of Thrones, shared awful news with his fans last week. His mother was rushed to the hospital and is “fighting for her life.” As a result, Nairn had to cancel some of his DJ gigs and appearances for the next few weeks to be by her side.

“This week has been the most personally challenging and painful weeks of my life. My wonderful mum was rushed to hospital on Monday, and is still fighting for her life,” Nairn, 43, wrote on Aug. 9. “I hate letting my fans down, but I’ve had to take the decision to cancel my gigs and appearances for the next few weeks so I can be by my mums side. Thanks so much to everyone who has shown support this week. It’s been greatly appreciated. I hope you all understand the reasons why I had to do this. Family comes first.”

Some of Nairn’s Game of Thrones co-stars wished Nairn and his family the best.

“Christian (sic). Sending you love,” Lena Headey wrote.

“Love you, darling. Sending you good thoughts and strength XXXX,” Gwendoline Christie wrote.

His fans also urged him to take care of his mother, agreeing that family comes first.

“This is so awful to read my love. I know how strong your bond is with your Ma. Sending you all my love and strength and all the healing light I can muster for your mum,” one fan wrote.

“Sending love to your mum, you and your family,” another added.

“I’m so sorry. I hope that she’s okay, and that you’re okay. Sending support and love your way! Family first is right,” another fan wrote.

Nairn played Hodor on Game of Thrones Seasons 1-4 and Season 6, carrying around Isaac Hemsptead-Wright’s Bran Stark. It was Nairn’s first professional acting role, and led to parts in ABC’s The Rookie and the BBC’s Ripper Street.

In March, Nairn told The Guardian that Game of Thrones helped him buy his mother a house.

“Game Of Thrones enhanced my life in so many ways,” the Belfast-born actor said. “It enabled me to buy my mum a house, which is all I ever wanted to do. It taught me the craft of acting and gave me the confidence to just be myself.”

Aside from acting, Nairn is a DJ, which he was doing at the time he was cast in Thrones.

“I was working as a DJ and in musical theatre. I didn’t have any real aspirations to act but my agent put me up for a role in Simon Pegg’s film Hot Fuzz. Another one-worder, oddly enough – that was ‘Yarp,’” Nairn recalled. “I didn’t get it, – by coincidence, it went to Rory McCann [who plays The Hound in GoT] – but the casting director remembered me, and four years later, called me back for Hodor.”

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