What's up with Jon Snow's beard?

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

I'm not normally one to complain about aesthetics when acting is more important. I didn't care that Tywin didn't have chops, or that he didn't have a shaved head(even though he dislikes doing things in half measures). But Jon Snow is often criticized, observed as or mocked for being a 'boy'. The beard does not look boyish.

Besides that, I dunno, I just don't see Jon Snow when I look at Kit Harington with the beard. He's definitely playing the part well enough, I've no complaints with his acting(as long as he becomes more reserved over time, as in the books). Maybe Snow being my favorite character is why I'm being so picky about his aesthetics. But all I see when I look at Kit as Jon is another bearded dude on the wall.

Oh well, it's not a huge deal in the long run, I suppose. Just wish I knew why they decided to put that in there, when a simple shave would easily fix it. Perhaps they *wanted* Jon to have a beard in the series, for some inexplicable reason.

Apologies if there has already been a thread for this. I am not one to scan countless pages of backdated posts.

[Seerow]

I could have sworn I remembered a mention of him growing out his beard during book 2. So it's not like Book Jon is always cleanshaven. If they brought the beard out earlier... oh well?

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

I could have sworn I remembered a mention of him growing out his beard during book 2. So it's not like Book Jon is always cleanshaven. If they brought the beard out earlier... oh well?

Oh well is generally how I feel about it. Sometimes I just look at him and I don't feel like I'm looking at Jon. Just a complaint unique to me, I guess. *shrug*

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

I disagree. Jon has a very very spotty and ratty looking beard, like its not quite filled in. It's perfect for a boy who is trying to seem older and wiser than he really is. I once referred to jon's beard as a "teen-stache".

[Millardkillmoore]

It's cold on The Wall. Gotta keep your face warm somehow.

[Gillio]

Dont forget TV Jon is older than book Jon for reasons discussed elsewhere. The age Jon is depicted on TV its more appropriate he have some beard.

[Iotun]

Show Jon has completely stolen my mental image of book Jon when I'm reading the books now. I even accept mentally that the characters are in fact older than what the text is saying (after all Martin commented making the children older is the one change he would make).

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

I'd forgotten the characters were supposed to be older in the show.

[Knight of the Teabags]

I disagree. Jon has a very very spotty and ratty looking beard, like its not quite filled in. It's perfect for a boy who is trying to seem older and wiser than he really is.

The other thing to consider here is both of Jon's male role models (Ned and Uncle Benjen) have beards as well as the majority of the adult male Northern characters. Incidently most southern Westerosi men are clean shaven.

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

I'd forgotten the characters were supposed to be older in the show.

Have you ever see the movie 3:10 to Yuma (the recent remake with Russel Crow and Christian Bale)?

When I watched it for the first time, and saw Christian Bale's characters' son, I was like, OMG! He's the spitting image of book-Jon to me. He even acts like Jon, with the stubborn, serious arrogance and the "I'm almost a man-grown" stuff.

But yeah show-Jon's clearly older.

[Abaddon]

I'm a bit on the fence here. On the one hand, I really liked Kit's John in Season One. On the other hand, when reading Jon in later books, I have a hard time picturing Kit. There are other actors whose performance I thought was a little more uneven (Littlefinger for example) in S1 but reading him in later books I totally picture Aidan Gillan delivering the lines.

Jon gets a lot greyer and I look forward to seeing Kit pull that off, I think he can do it. And then I will be able to picture Jon in later books as Kit :).

[Sixshells]

Upon watching the first episode I really had a hard time accepting Kit Harrington as Jon Snow, because he seemed to "boyish" and "cosy" (for lack of a better word) for the part. I even thought there was some sort of huge casting mistake: that he should have played Robb and Richard Madden would have been better suited for Jon Snow.

But then Harrington's Jon has grown on me from the moment he goes to the Wall, and I really have nothing to say against the beard -- I can't picture JS without a similar beard anyway, and now I can't really picture him in any way than with Harrington's face. The curled hair was more of a problem to me, as it really sweetens the overall figure.

[East of the Wood]

I always thought the beard was added because the tv characters were aged up. If you watch the pilot ep, you'll notice him without his beard in the courtyard scene. I think that would have fitted well if they hadn't aged the character up. Either way, with or without the beard, I think Kit nails Jon.

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

I could have sworn I remembered a mention of him growing out his beard during book 2. So it's not like Book Jon is always cleanshaven. If they brought the beard out earlier... oh well?

Actually, I just read a passage in book 3 in which Mag the Mighty quips to Tormund that Jon must be his sister, because his cheeks are pink and cleanshaven. Even though the new one arrived today, I still plan to finish rereading books 3 and 4, because I do vaguely recall him getting a beard at some point, even if it's not as early as you said. Probably in book 3, it would make sense in order to fit in with the wildlings.

However, another poster made the great point that the television series has aged most of the characters a few years ahead of the books, something I'd forgotten.

[Horus Ex Machina]

Show Jon has completely stolen my mental image of book Jon when I'm reading the books now. I even accept mentally that the characters are in fact older than what the text is saying (after all Martin commented making the children older is the one change he would make).

This was also the reason that there was suppose to have been a 5 year gap written in between ASoS and AFfC. But it wasn't very practical. I think that Martin wrote the first few books, realized that he wanted his characters to be older, flirted with the 5 yr jump idea, and when that blew up in his face he ended up letting the producers just age up the characters.

[ladyriverrun]

This was also the reason that there was suppose to have been a 5 year gap written in between ASoS and AFfC. But it wasn't very practical. I think that Martin wrote the first few books, realized that he wanted his characters to be older, flirted with the 5 yr jump idea, and when that blew up in his face he ended up letting the producers just age up the characters.

I'm glad that the movie Jon looks that way, because he looks great this way.

[Capt. Zemblanity]

Upon watching the first episode I really had a hard time accepting Kit Harrington as Jon Snow, because he seemed to "boyish" and "cosy" (for lack of a better word) for the part. I even thought there was some sort of huge casting mistake: that he should have played Robb and Richard Madden would have been better suited for Jon Snow.

But then Harrington's Jon has grown on me from the moment he goes to the Wall, and I really have nothing to say against the beard -- I can't picture JS without a similar beard anyway, and now I can't really picture him in any way than with Harrington's face. The curled hair was more of a problem to me, as it really sweetens the overall figure.

:agree: This. I have always wondered about the casting a little. Both actors are great, but aesthetically I just cannot picture Kit as Jon even this far in. Richard Madden (with black hair) much more resembles what I think of when I think of Jon. Too late now.

[JaegrM]

Bothers me more that Robb, Bran and Rickon aren't Tully looking

[Tommen]

Jon starts off as at least 17 in the show, as opposed to 14 in the books. And doesn't make sense for him to shave, it's freezing beyond the Wall.

[Tirilei]

Interesting. As someone who hasn't read the books, I didn't know Jon was supposed to look that young. In the show so far, he still looks a bit on the soft side, with his puppy eyes and pouty lips, and I thought they should have made him look a little more rough and tough and with shorter hair. The beard looks fine for the role.