Four new characters have been cast in the “Game of Thrones” prequel spinoff “House of the Dragon,” which will begin production in April…
The highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel spinoff “House of the Dragon” has cast four new key roles as the series prepares to begin production in April.
“House of the Dragon” is based upon the George R.R. Martin book “Fire & Blood,” which chronicles most of the history of House Targaryen from the time Aegon I Targaryen conquered Westeros on the back of his mighty dragon.
The new series will take place hundreds of years before the events of “Game of Thrones” during the Targaryen civil war later known as the “Dance of Dragons” when two members of the family engaged in a brutal and bloody battle to determine who would sit on the Iron Throne.
The new characters added to the series will definitely play a huge part in the events to come so let’s breakdown these new parts and who’s playing them:
Rhys Ifans — best known for his past roles in “Amazing Spider-Man” as well as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” — will play Otto Hightower, who is described as a loyal and faithful servant to both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.
In the books, Otto served as Hand of the King to numerous rulers including Viserys I Targaryen, who eventually married his daughter Alicent Hightower. Otto was eventually removed as his role as Hand of the King after he hounded the King to name Alicent’s children as the true successor to the Iron Throne rather than his daughter Rhaenyra, who was from his first wife who perished.
Steve Toussaint — best known for his recent appearance in “Small Axe” as well as guest spots on “Doctor Who” — will play Lord Corlys Velaryon better known by his nickname “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As “The Sea Snake,” the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.
Lord Corlys Valaryon was a powerful Lord in Westeros thanks in part due to his great wealth and when the Targaryen Civil War first started, he pledged his support to Princess Rhaenyra, who was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne thanks to her father naming her as the successor prior to his death. Lord Corlys’ army actually ends up comprising the majority of troops that fight for Rhaenyra during the war.
Eve Best — best known for past roles in “Nurse Jackie” as well as the Oscar winning movie “The King’s Speech” — will play Princess Rhaenys Velaryon. A dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.
In the books Rhaenys is the daughter of Aemon Targaryen, who was the next in the line of succession to sit on the Iron Throne but he died and he never had a male heir. Rhaenys eventually went onto marry Lord Corlys Valaryon and she fought for Princess Rhaenyra on the back of her dragon Meleys.
And finally Sonoya Mizuno — best known for role in the recent FX series “Devs” as well as the film “Ex-Machina” — will play Mysaria. She came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted… but instead she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.
Mysaria was also known by her nickname “Lady Misery” and she was eventually became the mistress of whisperers to her lover, Prince Daemon Targaryen, as well as the unofficial mistress of whisperers to Rhaenyra Targaryen during her attempts to take back the Iron Throne during the Civil War. Of course to tie all this together, Prince Daemon was also Rhaenyra’s husband and known as the greatest warrior in Westeros. Prince Daemon will be played by “Doctor Who” alum Matt Smith in the series.
“House of the Dragon” will begin production this year with the series expected to debut on HBO in 2022.
