Warning! Possible SPOILERS for House of the Dragon from the Fire and Blood source material ahead.
Upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon has assembled an impressive cast, who will bring to life several key characters – including plenty of Targaryens – from the world of Ice and Fire created by George R.R. Martin. Game of Thrones may have ended in 2019, but Westeros will endure on HBO, which has big expansion plans for the universe. While a series based around The Long Night was canceled, there are many more spinoffs in the works. The first to release is House of the Dragon, and the Game of Thrones prequel release date is set for August 2022. Detailing the Targaryen civil war some 200 years before Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon has completely new characters. Here are the details of the House of the Dragon cast and character list.
House of the Dragon, was developed by Martin himself alongside Ryan Condal, with the latter serving as showrunner alongside longtime Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik. Other key players returned too, including composer Ramin Djawadi. Outside of production, however, the characters in House of the Dragon are all new. The prequel is set long before Game of Thrones, so there won’t be any young Ned Starks or Tywin Lannisters, or even infant iterations of the Targaryen family tree’s older but more familiar members like Aemon Targaryen. While there will be some very familiar elements to the show — including political scheming, epic battles, dragons, and, of course, inter-familial romantic relations — the players in this new conspiratorial competition for the Iron Throne are all being introduced to audiences in House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon takes place hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones and details the buildup to the Targaryen War of Succession — a brutal period of civil war referred to in the Westeros history books as the Dance of the Dragons. The Game of Thrones prequel’s timeline and politics show a very different Westeros; where Game of Thrones depicts Daenerys as ostensibly the lone Targaryen in the world, this will feature the house’s dynasty at its peak, alongside those who work with and against them. There will be multiple dragon riders, various Targaryens vying for the Iron Throne (instead of different houses), and very little cause to worry about what’s brewing north of The Wall. Here are all the characters confirmed to appear in House of the Dragon and what their stories may be based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Fire and Ice novels.
House Targaryen Characters In House Of The Dragon
House Targaryen is the main house in House of the Dragon. Their symbol is a multi-headed dragon, so it was clear as soon as the title of House of the Dragon was announced that it would feature the ancestors of Daenerys. The prequel Targaryens will be different to Emilia Clarke’s lonely Queen of Dragons, though, as it’s set in the era when Targaryens ruled Westeros with an iron (and deranged) fist. Here’s every Targaryen in House of the Dragon.
Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen
Viewers of Game of Thrones are no strangers to various Kings and Queens of Westeros, and so it makes sense that the main character of House of the Dragon – at least for season 1 – will be its ruler of the time, King Viserys I Targaryen. The grandson of Jaehaerys I Targaryen, Viserys has to not only succeed the Old King but live up to his standards. Given that Jaehaerys is generally recognized as one of the greatest Kings in Westeros history, that’s no easy feat, although Viserys does his best to manage it. Viserys was chosen as the new King by the Great Council, which is a concept Game of Thrones introduced in its series finale to elect Bran as the new King of Westeros, although the council of 101 AC will likely be a grander affair.
Viewers will also be familiar with his dragon, as Viserys is the last dragon rider of the great Balerion the Dread, whose skull was shown in the crypts of the Red Keep. Unlike many of the Targaryen Kings referenced in Game of Thrones, Viserys himself is a rather peaceful man who dislikes conflict, and his reign is mostly a peaceful and prosperous one. His actions do, however, lead to the Dance of the Dragons in the wake of his death. Viserys will be played by veteran British actor Paddy Considine, who has appeared in the likes of Dead Man’s Shoes, Hot Fuzz, Journeyman, and The Outsider.
Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
As the firstborn child of Viserys I Targaryen, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen will be a key character in House of the Dragon. She was named Viserys’ heir after the death of Baelon, Viserys’ second son. His first son remains unnamed but died during infancy like Baelon, while their mother, Aemma, also passed away. Her appointment to the Iron Throne was an unusual move at the time, done in part to spite those who mocked the death of Baelon, and it would ultimately give Westeros its first ruling Queen. Rhaenyra spent most of her childhood preparing to succeed her father and maintained her position as heir even after he re-married, as he wedded Alicent Hightower and had several more sons. After being named Princess of Dragonstone at the age of 16, Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon, with whom she had three sons, although the marriage was, as is often the case in Westeros, one built for political and tactical gain than out of love.
After Laenor was killed, Rhaenyra married her uncle, Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith in House of the Dragon). Following Viserys’ death, he supported her claim to the Iron Throne, which was challenged by her younger half-brother, Aegon. This split is what led to the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen Civil War that divided Westeros into two factions – the greens ( supporting Aegon) and the blacks (supporting Rhaenyra) – and ultimately saw Viserys’ named heir Rhaenyra crowned Queen. Described as beautiful yet stubborn and quick-tempered, it’s also noted that Rhaenyra never loses the weight from her pregnancy, something that feeds into her dislike of Viserys’ new wife, Alicent. In House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra will be played by Emma D’Arcy, who is best known for their role as Astrid in Truth Seekers.
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
Prince Daemon Targaryen is the younger brother of Viserys and a complicated character in his own right. While Daemon supports his brother’s claim to the Iron Throne at the Great Council, he largely does so out of his own lofty ambitions, believing it will place him next in line if Viserys fathers no sons. Daemon Targaryen and King Viserys have an often-fractious relationship, which isn’t helped by the former’s rivalry with the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower. Daemon is regarded as one of the greatest warriors of his age, although he’s also strong-willed, roguish, and bad-tempered. For a time, Daemon rules as the self-proclaimed King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea, but eventually gives up the mantle to rejoin his brother’s side and take a place on the small council.
That itself didn’t last long, though, as rumors of Daemon taking Princess Rhaenyra’s virginity before her 16th birthday led to his exile on the King’s orders. This saga would go on, with Daemon eventually winning back his brother’s favor and returning; eventually, he married Rhaenyra, albeit without Viserys’ knowledge. After the King’s death, Daemon declared Rhaenyra as the Queen and was at the very forefront of the war that ensued. For House of the Dragon, Daemon Targaryen will be played by Matt Smith, best known as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, the kind of genre fare that should make him well-equipped for the pressures of a show like House of the Dragon.
Minor Targaryens in House of the Dragons
Like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon features an ensemble cast, with dozens of minor characters appearing. Viserys, Daemon, and Rhaenyra are pitched to be the main Targaryens of season 1, but there will be many Targaryens in House of the Dragon. Many only played minor roles in the source material, so their exact role in the show isn’t known. Here are the other Targaryens viewers can expect to see.
- Aegon Targaryen is played by Tom Glynn-Carney, with Jake and Rory Heard playing the younger version in flashback scenes. Aegon is a Targaryen to note despite his lack of focus in House of the Dragon‘s promotional material, as in the books the show is based on, he leads an army against Rhaenyra.
- Aemond Targaryen is played by Ewan Mitchell. Aemond Targaryen is another child of Viserys, is Rhaenyra’s half-brother, and has a distinctive eyepatch.
- Helaena Targaryen is played by Phia Saban. Helaena Targaryen is the daughter of Viserys and Alicent Hightower, making her Aegon and Aemond’s sister. In the Fire and Blood book, Helaena is described as being notably liked by the common people throughout Westeros.
- Baela Targaryen is played by Bethany Antonia. She is Daemon’s daughter, and her mother is Laena Velaryon. In the books, she and her sister Rhaena were twins, but this has been changed for House of the Dragon, and Baela is now Rhaena’s older sister.
- Rhaena Targaryen is played by Phoebe Campbell. She is Baela’s younger sister but was her twin in George R. R. Martin’s story Fire and Blood.
House Hightower Characters In House Of The Dragon
House Hightower is another key family in House of the Dragon, mainly due to Alicent Hightower, who is married to Viserys Targaryen. Her relationship with Rhaenyra will be a key feature of the show, as will her father Otto, who is the Hand of the King. Only two characters from House Hightower have been confirmed so far. They’re a vassal house hailing from the Reach that swears fealty to a now-extinct Game of Thrones house: the Tyrells, the notorious thorns in the Lannisters’ sides. Their sigil is, fittingly, a tower. Here’s everything to know about the characters from House Hightower in House of the Dragon.
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
The second wife of King Viserys I Targaryen, Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Otto, Viserys’ Hand. A close companion of Jaehaerys before his death, Alicent remained a constant figure in King’s Landing through the reign of King Viserys and, when it eventually came time for him to wed again, he chose her as his new bride despite advice from his small council not to do so. Alicent developed a fierce rivalry with Rhaenyra, with both women setting eyes on the Queen of Westeros title, and that resentment only grew when Rhaenyra remained the King’s heir despite Alicent giving him several sons. It’s been confirmed that the childhood relationship between Alicent and Rhaenyra will be a key story thread in House of the Dragon, with both characters having child actresses cast for flashback scenes (Emily Carey will play young Alicent).
It was also Alicent who led to the monikers the greens and the blacks: at a tourney, she dressed in green, while Princess Rhaenyra dressed in the traditional red and black color scheme of House Targaryen, leading to the differing factions. Alicent was an intelligent, shrewd operator who had grown up watching the political machinations of the kingdom, and when Viserys died – with Rhaenyra away on Dragonstone – she quickly made a move to install her own son, Aegon, as the new King. House of the Dragon’s dark ending will probably be heavily influenced by this. Alicent Hightower will be played by Olivia Cooke. Having risen to prominence as Emma in Bates Motel, Cooke has also starred in blockbusters such as Ready Player One, where she played the female lead Art3mis, and also performed in critically acclaimed fare like Sound of Metal as Lou. In the trailer for House of the Dragon, Alicent is shown running towards an unseen character carrying the catspaw dagger, which was used in an attempt to kill Bran and, later, when Arya killed the Night King in Game of Thrones season 8. The dagger certainly draws connections between the prequel show and Game of Thrones.
Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
The father of Alicent, Otto Hightower serves as the Hand of the King, a job he performed for Jaehaerys I and continued to do so when Viserys took the crown. The head of House Hightower of Oldtown, Otto was an incredibly intelligent and arrogant man, who often attempted to use his position as the King’s Hand to bend his ear and impress his own will, especially where Prince Daemon was involved. This nature eventually led to him losing the role, with Viserys stripping him of the Hand and sending him back to Oldtown after he continually pushed for Alicent’s son to be made heir instead of Rhaenyra. However, when his replacement died, Otto returned to resume his role. Following the death of King Viserys, Otto, alongside Alicent, was a major driving force in declaring Aegon as the new King. Otto will be played by The Amazing Spider-Man actor Rhys Ifans, who also appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Notting Hill.
House Velaryon Characters In House Of The Dragon
House Velaryon is the second most prominent house in House of the Dragon, second only in the number of characters to the Targaryens themselves. Driftmark is their seat of power, and their sigil is a majestic horse with the lower half of a fish – a merhorse, for lack of a better term. They’re a seafaring people and their leader, Corlys Velaryon, holds the official title of Lord of the Tides. The Velaryons and Targaryens are connected both by marriage and a shared heritage, and already footage from the show is setting them up to play a major role. Here’s everything you need to know about the House Velaryon characters in House of the Dragon.
Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
Also known as the Sea Snake, after his ship of the same name, Corlys Velaryon is the head of House Velaryon which, like House Targaryen, is Valyrian in origin. A brilliant sailor, Corlys was said to be incredibly adventurous and journeyed well beyond the lands and waters of Westeros, which brought him great prosperity. Corlys’ voyages made him the stuff of legend in Westeros, but he also had his own ambitions on land, which included marrying Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the daughter of Aemon and granddaughter of King Jaehaerys. Corlys was slighted several times following this: Rhaenys was overlooked as Queen; their son, Laenor, was passed over in favor of Viserys to become King; when Viserys remarried, he chose Alicent Hightower instead of their daughter, Laena. This led to an angry Corlys teaming up with Daemon Targaryen, helping him claim the Stepstone crown.
However, one of his offspring eventually married a Targaryen, as Laenor later wed Princess Rhaenyra, having several children before his death (although the kids themselves are rumored to have been fathered by Ser Harwin Strong). In the Dance of the Dragons, Corlys supports the claim of Rhaenyra and serves as Hand of the Queen, but later betrays her for Aegon II. Steve Toussaint, who has appeared in a multitude of British TV shows including Doctor Who, Skins, and It’s A Sin, as well as movies such as 1995’s Judge Dredd, will play the Sea Snake in House of the Dragon.
Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon
Alongside Corlys in House of the Dragon is Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, also known as the Queen Who Never Was due to her being thought to have been next in line for the Iron Throne following her father, Aemon, who was the son of Jaehaerys. Combining the purple eyes of a Targaryen with the black hair of a Baratheon (Rhaenys’ mother was Jocelyn Baratheon), Rhaenys was considered a great beauty, as well as someone possessing considerable intellect. Rhaenys was passed over for the crown by King Jaehaerys who, following the death of Aemon, had to appoint a new heir; the King chose his second son, Baelon, instead, much to the anger of Rhaenys and her husband, Corlys. During the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenys was, like Corlys, loyal to the blacks and Rhaenyra, serving on her council before her death. Rhaenys will be played in House of the Dragon by Eve Best, who is known for her role as Dr. Eleanor O’Hara in Nurse Jackie.
Minor Velaryons in House of the Dragons
Corlys and
- Laena Velaryon is played by Savannah Steyn. She is Corlys’ and Rhaenys’ daughter. She is a dragon rider and was described in Fire and Blood as being known for her exceptional beauty.
- Laenor Velaryon is played by John Macmillian and Theo Nate, depending on which House of the Dragon timeline the scene is in. Laenor is Laena’s brother and also a dragon rider. In the books, Laenor ends up becoming Rhaenyra’s first husband, and they have three children (including one Velaryon who shares a name with Game of Thrones‘ Joffrey, somewhat confusingly).
- Vaemond Velaryon is played by Wil Johnson. The younger brother of Corlys, Vaemond is the commander of the Velaryon navy. His character has already been changed from the books, as in Fire and Blood Vaemond is Corlys’ nephew, with the Sea Snake’s younger brother never named.
- Jacaerys Velaryon is played by Harry Collett. Little is known about Jacaerys in the show, but he is the son of Rhenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon. He grows up to take part in the Dance of the Dragons, and like his family on both sides, he was a dragon rider.
Other Important Characters House Of The Dragon
There were many characters in Game of Thrones, such as Bronn, Greyworm, and Sandor Clegane/The Hound, who didn’t belong to a house (or were unaffiliated with one that had a major bearing on the show). It’s been confirmed that the same will be true of House of the Dragon. Two characters, in particular – the spy Mysaria and Dornish knight Ser Criston Cole – have been tipped as ones to watch out for and feature heavily in the series’ marketing. Here’s everything to know about Mysaria and Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon.
Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
Serving as something akin to the Varys of House of the Dragon, Lady Mysaria hails from Lys and serves as the mistress of whisperers to Daemon Targaryen, feeding him information from all around King’s Landing as he plots and schemes. Alongside that role, though, Mysaria was also a long-time lover of Daemon’s, by whom she once became pregnant, although she lost the child after an angry King Viserys ordered her to be sent back to Lys. Both of those roles would continue after his marriage to Rhaenyra and her ascension to Queen, with the character giving those same whispers to Westeros’ new ruler. Sonoya Mizuno, who has been a frequent collaborator of Alex Garland, appearing in Ex Machina, Annihilation, and Devs, will play Mysaria in House of the Dragon.
Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
Another major character in House of the Dragon is Criston Cole, who’ll be played by Fabien Frankel, whose previous credits include Fabien in Last Christmas and Dominique Renelleau in The Serpent. One of the best knights in Westeros, Criston eventually rises to the position of Lord Commander of Viserys I’s Kingsguard and even defeats Daemon Targaryen in tourneys. Later, there were several rumors of an affair between Criston and Rhaenyra, although, like claims of a romance between the Princess and Harwin Strong, such claims were never proved to be true. What did prove to be true, though, was that something caused a rift between Criston and Rhaenyra; at her wedding to Laenor Velaryon, he fought with Alicent Hightower’s favor and was loyal to her ever since, including during the Dance of the Dragons. Criston is among those, like Alicent and Otto, who persuade Aegon to claim the Iron Throne.
Other Characters In House Of The Dragon (Including Starks and Lannisters)
In Game of Thrones, there were characters from many of the different major and minor houses that make up the nobility of Westeros. House of the Dragon focuses on the Targaryens, Velaryons, and Hightowers instead of the Starks and Lannisters. However, ancestors of both the main houses in Game of Thrones feature in the prequel, as do names and faces from new families not yet seen in any TV adaptation of a George R. R. Martin book. Here are all the minor characters, including Starks and Lannisters, in House of the Dragon.
- Rickard Stark has been mentioned in the House of the Dragon trailers but hasn’t yet been seen. There’s also not been a confirmation of who’s playing him. It could be that House of the Dragon doesn’t have Starks until season 2. This would make sense since Winterfell is in the north of Westeros and the prequel might give characters a reason to visit.
- Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister will both be played by Jefferson Hall (pictured, although it’s unclear as to which twin he’s playing in this pre-release shot). The Lannisters aren’t the powerhouses Game of Thrones fans will be used to seeing, and in House of the Dragon, the Lannister twins will probably be scheming to advance the Casterly Rock clan’s fortunes and capitalize on the chaos that sweeps Westeros during the Targaryen civil war.
- Lyonel Strong will be played by Gavin Spoakes. Lord Lyonel Strong is the current Lord of Harrenhal at the time House of the Dragon begins and also serves on King Viserys’ council.
- Harwin «Breakbones» Strong will be played by Ryan Corr. Harwin is the eldest son of Lord Lyonel. He’s also fittingly named, as he’s said to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms.
- Larys Strong will be played by Matthew Needham. Larys is one of Lord Lyonel’s younger sons, he eventually becomes Viserys’ Master of Whisperers in the original Fire and Blood story, suggesting he’ll have a larger part to play in later seasons.
- Grand Maester Mellos will be played by David Horovitch. Mellos is one of Viserys’ most trusted advisors and likely fills a role similar to that of Grand Maester Pycelle in Game of Thrones.
- Harrold Westerling will be played by Graham McTavish. Ser Harrold is a knight of the Kingsguard. He only has a few mentions in the books, but HBO has described him as a chivalrous and honorable character. If he is, it might make him the only likable character in House of the Dragon.
- Lyman Beesbury will be played by Bill Paterson. Lyman Beesbury, the Lord of Honeyholt, sits on the Kings council as the Master of Coin. Paterson is most known for his role as Dad in Fleabag but has a career spanning decades, making him one of the most experienced actors in the extensive House of the Dragon cast.
House of the Dragon premieres on HBO on 21 August 2022.
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