When HBO released House of the Dragon, the spinoff ushered in plenty of relatively unknown actor, such as Fabien Frankel and Millie Alcock, destined to be huge Hollywood names. But the prequel also enlisted the expertise of some of the industry's most accomplished actors, not least Matt Smith.
Smith joined the series as Daemon Targaryen, the ambitious younger brother of King Viserys I, whose strong ambitions make him one of the most dangerous and unhinged characters in the series. According to co-star Emma D'Arcy, who plays Daemon's niece Rhaenrya Targaryen, the demeanor Smith exudes on-set is palpable.
“I think Matt creates that danger on screen through volatility. On set, he refuses to be predictable – he is always inventing and improvising on the material," D'Arcy said in a recent interview, per FT.
The way Smith conducts himself is very unique to him. As D'Arcy recounts, there's a distinct method to how he approaches scenes. "He’s in constant physical motion too," they explain. "Until the moment the camera rolls, he’s stalking the room. There’s something of the caged animal about him. That constant disruption and unpredictability creates an electricity on set."
It's especially a good time when D'Arcy gets to work alongside him. "Sharing a scene with him is the most incredible thrill – you never know what reactions that volatile element will provoke.”
Matt Smith is fascinated by 'darker' roles
Matt Smith has had so many defining roles throughout his esteemed career. Perhaps most notably, he played the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who. He also played Prince Philip in Netflix's The Crown. However, nowadays he keeps turning to antagonistic roles. “I’ve always been fascinated,” he told FT.
“I always love a documentary about a serial killer. I’m obsessed with the second world war. I think it was Goebbels who had a club foot, so what is it that I’m sort of obsessed with in that – not obsessed, but morbidly fascinated? [And] creatively, with Patrick Bateman for instance, again, I was kind of… is it wrong to say? I was kind of with him. I thought, if the audience can come out going, ‘I kind of like Bateman,’ like you do with Christian Bale in the film, there’s something in that which is great. I think post-Doctor Who as well, I very actively sought out sort of darker roles.”
He certainly hit a home run in landing the role of Daemon Targaryen, one of the darkest and most brutal characters in House of the Dragon. He returns in season 3, which is slated to premiere in summer 2026.
Stay tuned for more news about House of the Dragon season 3! Production should be wrapping soon.