Despite all the reservations and skepticism that accompanied the House of the Dragon marketing campaign and its initial release, everyone now jumps at the opportunity to tell their peers just how great the Game of Thrones prequel is. HBO owes that success in no small part to the amazing ensemble of actors bringing the Targaryens to life in all their nuanced glory. Perhaps chiefly among them is Matt Smith, who has garnered global acclaim for his portrayal of Daemon, the Rogue Prince himself.
Smith is a veteran of the acting stage, so it’s no wonder that he’s been able to put such a compelling spin on the Westerosi character. The man’s range and skill are so discernible, in fact, that even Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen) learned a lot from him in the second half of season one.
Besides all of this, everyone is now realizing what makes Daemon such a badass, even if the character barely speaks ten lines per episode.
Fans call out Alicent Hightower on her hypocritical beliefs
Queen Alicent is torn between her allegiances and beliefs more than half the time, and the way she regards the Targaryens is no exception. Fans have now called out the Hightower noble for the way she took a jab at the house of Fire and Blood for their “queer” ways when it comes to incestuous relationships, only for her to marry her son Aegon to his sister Helaena. Did we miss something in between all these crazy time jumps? Or is Alicent plainly contradicting her earlier stances?
Emma D’Arcy thanks co-star Matt Smith: ‘I’ve learned a lot from him’
Matt Smith is already a beloved figure for his time playing the raggedy Eleventh Doctor on BBC’s Doctor Who, but the actor has garnered even more recognition and acclaim as one of the best actors Britain has to offer after appearing in House of the Dragon. Now, his co-star Emma D’Arcy, who herself has only recently made her debut as Rhaenyra, praises the actor for all the things he taught her. Here’s what she recently said about Smith per Collider.
“He has taught me how to ignore the various pressures, the time pressures, all the things that come with shooting on this scale, and tap back into those first principles,” she said, then went on a bout of humility. “I was really scared coming to this whole process. Because no one knows who the hell I am. And then suddenly, working with Matt Smith, who has an extraordinary aura, I love working with him.”
Daemon proves that you can be the ultimate show-stealer with just… stares
With the passing of King Viserys, Paddy Considine is no longer the untouchable deity of acting in the House line-up, if he ever was. That honor now undoubtedly belongs to Matt Smith, who is portraying Daemon Targaryen, the most charismatic rogue in all of the Seven Kingdoms, as if he was born to be a blonde princeling. And yet, fans have just realized something rather terrifying about Smith’s role-playing chops. It seems that in most episodes, he only has a handful of lines to deliver. Mostly, it’s just the actor’s incredibly calculated stares, facial expressions, and body language that sells the performance.
That’s all for now, but make sure to tune back in tomorrow as we prepare to get into the ninth and penultimate House of the Dragon episode, “The Green Council.”