Virginia is for lovers. Westeros is not. In the Seven Kingdoms, romances tend to end in death and dismemberment, so when we get a functional couple, it’s best to appreciate them while they last.
Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen are one such functional couple. Sure, they have their issues, as seen on House of the Dragon. Mainly, it’s that Corlys is too fixated on legacy and Rhaenys wishes he would simmer down. But generally they seem to support each other.
Steve Toussaint, who plays Corlys, teased more of these unexpected well-adjusted vibes in the second season of House of the Dragon. “That union between Corlys and Rhaenys, they are one of the few couples in this realm that actually love each other,” he said over the weekend at the CCXP festival in Brazil. “There are a couple of scenes we shot in this new season that kind of hint at what they were like when they first met. […] And he’s one of the few men who actually listens to his wife.” Heartwarming stuff, folks.
Toussaint also seems fond of Eve Best, who plays Rhaenys. In fact, when he was asked at CCXP who he would trust to rule the Seven Kingdoms, he didn’t hesitate before naming her:
"Ewan Mitchell and Steve Toussaint answering the question “who would you trust to rule Westeros?” byu/Porcelain-treasure inHouseOfTheDragon"
"It has to be Eve, Eve Best, because she’s so caring. She’s so concerned about how people are doing. Yeah, it would be Eve, absolutely. A benevolent ruler."
Also present was Ewan Mitchell, who plays Aemond. When Mitchell was asked the same question, he named Steve Toussaint as his preferred ruler of Westeros, but was that just because Toussaint was standing near him at the time? We may never know.
In any case, it’ll be nice to have at least one couple who isn’t horribly dysfunctional, closely related, or both when House of the Dragon season 2 premieres in the summer of 2024.
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