'Game of Thrones' star Kit Harington shaves his beard

LONDON, June 3 (UPI) -- Game of Thrones star Kit Harington no longer has a beard.

The 29-year-old English actor sent fans into a frenzy by shaving off his signature facial hair. Harington debuted his new look this week in London, where he is starring in a West End production of Doctor Faustus.

"Kit Harington shaved his beard and i could feel the tears in my eyes," one social media user wrote in response to the news. "He aged down like 11 years and I am suddenly uncomfortable," another fan added.

Harington, whose long hair remains intact, complained of sexual objectification in an interview with The Sunday Times this week. The actor admitted he often feels he's only valued for his appearance.

"I like to think of myself as more than a head of hair or a set of looks. It's demeaning," he said. "Yes, in some ways you could argue I've been employed for a look I have. But there's a sexism that happens towards men."

"There's definitely a sexism in our industry that happens towards women, and there is towards men as well," the star elaborated. "At some points during photoshoots when I'm asked to strip down, I felt that. If I felt I was being employed just for my looks, I'd stop acting."

Harington plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, which airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. The series is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, who recently revealed Brienne's (Gwendoline Christie) famous ancestor.