Actor Matt Smith opened up about his character in the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon. Smith says the character is “dark and disturbed.” The Crown actor will be seen donning the role of Prince Daemon Targaryen. The prequel to HBO’s Game of Thrones is scheduled to premiere sometime in 2022. House of the Dragon is majorly adapted from George R R Martin’s 2018 novel Fire and Blood. The said novel tells the tale of House Targaryen’s fall from power.
HBO’s Game of Thrones won great worldwide acclaim in its entire run time throughout 2011 to 2019 for its extensive eight seasons. The upcoming prequel will be set earlier, before the events displayed in Game of Thrones, and will bring to life the backstory of House Targaryen.
House of the Dragon’s first trailer was released recently in October. And it showed how the show would be comprised of thrilling combat, violence, and some trademark drama that Game of Thrones was illicitly popular for. Matt Smith is a vital part of the show’s cast. Other famous British actors will be joining, including Paddy Considine, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke.
Matt Smith on his character in House of the Dragon
In a recent appearance for Joshua Horowitz’s podcast Sad Happy Confused, Matt Smith talked about the show and the character he plays. In a clip, Smith is heard describing nature as “interesting… and disturbed,” He also discloses that his Dragon, Caraxes, is like a furious pet dog. When asked if Smith felt obligated to surpass the dynamic Game of Thrones, the actor responded in a very mature way and confessed that it would be “impossible for [House of the Dragon] to succeed in the way [Game of Thrones] did.” Here is a detailed excerpt from Matt Smith’s comment on the topic.
It’s a good part, it’s an interesting and dark and disturbed part to play, and I thought ‘oh you know, it’ll be interesting to try on a blonde wig and fly some on dragons and get involved in some swordfights’…[My] dragon’s big and red and angry. He’s a really angry dragon. Mine’s the angriest of all the dragons. There is no angrier dragon, he’s a real moody bastard!…[My dragon’s] sort of like my dog, you want him with some pep and personality don’t you…Obviously it’s impossible for this show to ever really succeed in the way [Game of Thrones] did. [Game of Thrones] became a cultural phenomenon for many people, and it’s never ever going to quite scale those heights in the same way, because that was its own unique thing. Whether people are ready to receive it or not – who knows! You never know. But we make it in earnest, and we try our best to deliver something that is an entertaining world with dragons and sword fights.
Matt Smith’s involvement increases the chances of success.
Matt Smith has played some memorable roles like Timelord in Doctor Who and Prince Philip in The Crown. The actor is well familiar with the responsibility that comes with such big scale demanding projects. Although, Smith’s comments have shed light on the fact that with House of the Dragon, the makers and actors involved are to face their previous fans’ expectations. And they must live up to them to ensure success.
Game of Thrones has created a separate place for itself in a decade. It has gained a loyal fanbase, piqued by every little news regarding the franchise. With such an incredible reputation, House of the Dragon has already grabbed its fans’ attention. This has raised the stakes for its success a notch higher.
HBO blockbuster Game of Thrones ran on the platform for almost a decade, and while the franchise managed to receive a universal accolade from both fans and critics, the final season seemed to have strayed its course. When considered against the enormously positive response received by the first season, Game of Thrones Season 8 failed to deliver what it promised. The show received so many bad reviews that its ratings fell and brought it into the ‘rotten’ category of the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
However, the franchise has a chance to salvage its fame and fortune with House of the Dragon. Backed by beloved actors like Smith, the prequel has fans pinning their hopes. This has given the show a clean way to win its popularity back and follow the footsteps of its predecessor. But how much of all these speculations are true will only be sure when the show premieres.
