The cast of House of the Dragon has helped bring to life some unforgettable characters, but there’s likely a lot you don’t know about the ensemble. With season 3 on the way, fans will get to see the return of some of their favorite cast members. Regardless of what side of the Targaryen conflict their characters find themselves on, these actors have made the Game of Thrones prequel series all the more exciting.
Some of these actors were already established with impressive careers before House of the Dragon, while others found fame as part of this massive franchise. However, there are still a lot of interesting things fans can learn about the cast.
Matt Smith was almost Dr. Watson
Matt Smith, who plays the fierce and unpredictable Daemon Targaryen, was already a fairly established actor in certain fandoms when he joined House of the Dragon. He was best-known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who and played Prince Philip in The Crown. However, he nearly played another iconic British figure in a beloved show.
Before playing The Doctor, Smith auditioned for the BBC series Sherlock. Interestingly enough, he auditioned for the role of Dr. John Watson, who would eventually be played by Martin Freeman. The show’s co-creator, Steven Moffat, explained that Smith’s audition was good, but he was clearly a better fit for Sherlock Holmes himself (via Digital Spy). Unfortunately, Benedict Cumberbatch had already landed that role.
Emma D’Arcy never watched Game of Thrones before joining the franchise
Like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon is a massive ensemble with many different characters. However, if there is one character who is more central than the others, it would be Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen. D’Arcy’s powerful performance as this complex protagonist has been a high point of the series, but D’Arcy isn’t necessarily the most diehard Game of Thrones fan.
Despite it being the biggest television show, D’Arcy admitted in an interview that they never watched Game of Thrones before getting the role and didn’t even know the show they were auditioning for was part of the franchise. Ironically, D’Arcy said that not knowing likely helped them succeed in the daunting audition process.
Milly Alcock was James Gunn’s first choice for Supergirl
Milly Alcock was a breakout star in season 1 of House of the Dragon, but her time on the series was unfortunately brief. When the first season did a time jump, and Rhaenyra was aged up, D’Arcy took over the role. However, Alcock soon got an even bigger role to transition to when she was cast as the DCU’s Supergirl.
James Gunn admitted that watching House of the Dragon was when he first became aware of Alcock, and she became his first choice for the pivotal role. With her solo Supergirl movie coming this summer, Gunn also had high praise for Alcock, calling her his best bit of casting for a movie ever (via The Howard Stern Show).
Olivia Cooke was in a One Direction video
Olivia Cooke is another actor who was already establishing a strong up-and-coming career when she was cast as Alicent Hightower. She starred in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One as well as the Best Picture nominee Sound of Metal. However, one high-profile came even earlier in her career when she appeared in a One Direction video.
Shortly after making her film debut, Cooke appeared in the British boy band’s video for an upcoming tour. The video featured Cooke getting a piggyback from Harry Styles, and while that might draw envy from a lot of fans of the singer, Cooke hilariously explains that since they were a relatively new band, “no one cared” about One Direction (via Hits Radio UK).
Tom Glynn-Carney has his own indie rock band
Tom Glynn-Carney’s Aegon II Targaryen joins the ranks of Joffrey Baratheon and Aerion Targaryen as totally detestable, cruel, and selfish villains in the Game of Thrones franchise. However, Glynn-Carney also brings a lot of charm and bad-boy fun to the role, so it may not be surprising for fans to learn that Glynn-Carney is an aspiring rock star as well as an actor.
Before joining House of the Dragon, Glynn-Carney was part of the Manchester folk rock group Sleep Walking Animals. Formed in 2019, Sleep Walking Animals is a six-piece band with Glynn-Carney as the lead singer. They are still together, performing at various festivals and playing shows in London.
Steve Toussaint has become a sex symbol later in life
Steve Toussaint is a standout cast member of House of the Dragon and a groundbreaking member of the franchise as one of the first Black actors to play a main character in a Game of Thrones series. His role as Lord Corlys Velaryon displays him as a powerful and commanding leader in Westeros. It is a role that has also earned him some unexpected attention at this stage of his career.
While House of the Dragon gave Toussaint his biggest role to date, he has maintained a strong career for decades. However, at nearly 60 years old, Toussaint was named by People Magazine as one of the “Sexiest Men Alive.” It is certainly a feat to earn such a title at his age, and his role in House of the Dragon season 3 may further cement it.
Jefferson Hall has now played three roles in the Game of Thrones franchise
With such an expansive ensemble and story, Game of Thrones was one of the rare shows that was able to cast actors in multiple roles. Dean Charles-Chapman had a brief role as a young member of House Lannister before being cast as Tommen Baratheon, while Ian Whyte played Gregor Clegane in season 2, along with appearing as a White Walker and various giants.
However, there is only one actor who has appeared in Game of Thrones only to be cast as a new character in one of the spinoff shows. In Game of Thrones season 1, Jefferson Hall appeared as doomed knight Ser Hugh of the Vale. He then got dual roles, playing twins Tyland and Jason Lannister, in House of the Dragon.
Fabien Frankel experienced online harassment for his role
One thing that the Game of Thrones franchise does so well is create characters whom the audience loves to hate. Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon fits that role nicely, with Fabien Frankel delivering a nuanced and riveting performance as the disgraced member of the Kingsguard. Unfortunately, some viewers crossed a line when expressing their dislike of the character.
In 2024, Frankel limited the comment section of his Instagram page after receiving many instances of abuse from fans who were angry about Ser Criston’s actions (via Uproxx). It is a shame to see fans failing to separate actors from the characters and abusing them in this manner, and unfortunately, it is something that many actors in many different fandoms have experienced.
Ewan Mitchell kept Aemond’s coin close
Ewan Mitchell plays another standout villain in House of the Dragon as Aemond Targaryen. He is a terrifying presence throughout the series, but there is also a vulnerability to him that further drives his ruthless ways. One interesting detail comes from a coin Aemond finds in House of the Dragon season 2 that belonged to the assassins sent to kill him. It is something he holds onto throughout the series as a reminder.
Mitchell took the use of the prop one step further by having it as a constant reminder to himself in scenes. Mitchell would place the coin in his shoe so that he could always feel it in those scenes. Mitchell took inspiration from hearing that James Gandolfini would keep a pebble in his shoe during certain scenes in The Sopranos (via Vanity Fair).
Paddy Considine’s performance brought back memories of his father’s death
Paddy Considine is another cast member of House of the Dragon who departed early but left a strong impression. Considine’s performance as Viserys Targaryen was a highlight of the first season of the show, with the later episodes as a frail Viserys was nearing death truly allowing him to shine.
Sadly, Considine’s amazing performance had an emotional impact on the actor for personal reasons. When watching one of his final scenes, Considine admitted that he “burst into tears” as it reminded him of his own father when he was dying of cancer. Interestingly, Considine had partially based his performance of Viserys on his mother (via Complex).
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