Paddy Considine, who plays King Viserys Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon, turned down the opportunity to star in Game of Thrones because it had dragons. Miguel Sapcochnik and Ryan Condal’s upcoming series is set to debut on August 21st and serves as a prequel to Game of Thrones. Where the latter series was based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, House of the Dragon is inspired by Martin’s Fire & Blood and novellas like The Princess and the Queen, which detail the history of the Targaryen dynasty. In addition to Considine, House of the Dragon stars Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Graham McTavish, Steve Toussaint, Sonoya Mizuno, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, Bill Paterson, and Eve Best.
House of the Dragon picks up 200 years before the events of the flagship series, following the Targaryens at the height of their power with dozens of dragons. Its plot focuses on the King of the Seven Kingdoms’ decision to name his daughter heir to the Iron Throne, which sparks a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. While Considine sits on the throne in House of the Dragon, turns out, the actor could’ve traveled to Westeros over a decade ago.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times (via IndieWire), Considine revealed he was approached about starring in Game of Thrones before the fantasy series changed television forever. However, when his agent told him the show was “about dragons,” the actor declined to read the script. Read the full quote below:
“He said, ‘It’s about dragons.’ I went, ‘No thanks.’ I didn’t even read it.”
Before Game of Thrones scored its creatives a plethora of Emmys and made Martin a household name, the series was a risk for HBO. Although Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings had been a success in cinemas, there was still a “nerd” stigma attached to the fantasy genre. With its sex, violence, political intrigue, and lore, Game of Thrones captivated audiences of all demographics. These days seemingly every streaming service attempts to capitalize on its success with shows like The Witcher and The Wheel of Time (not to mention The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), including HBO—which has several spinoffs in development on top of House of the Dragon.
Before Game of Thrones, starring in a fantasy series wasn't an easy decision for an actor. Suffice to say, playing King Viserys in House of The Dragon wasn’t a tough decision for Considine—who jumped at the opportunity to rectify previously overlooking Martin’s source material. Ironically, the very thing that makes the new show so exciting is what stopped its star from passing on the original series.
Source: The Sunday Times (via IndieWire)