House of the Dragon star Steve Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon, was "gutted" by showrunnner Miguel Sapochnik's departure from the series. Based on A Song of Ice & Fire author George R.R. Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon tapped Ryan Condal and Sapochnik to oversee season 1 of the prequel series. The two Game of Thrones alums take over for previous showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who are not involved with the prequel in any capacity.
Set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon introduces audiences to a whole new roster of characters. Early on, one standout star has been Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, who is head of one of the wealthiest and most powerful houses in the Seven Kingdoms and is also a famed seafarer known as The Sea Snake. Since its premiere on August 21, House of the Dragon has broken viewership records on HBO and was quickly renewed for a second season. Therefore, it was surprising when Sapochnik exited House of the Dragon after only two episodes had aired.
Now, a few days after his departure, Toussaint reacts to Sapochnik's decision during an appearance on EW's West of Westeros podcast. The House of the Dragon star says he was "gutted" by the showrunner's departure, but ultimately understands the reasons behind his decision. Read his reaction below:
We have this English phrase "gutted," I was like, "Oh no!" Ryan rang me, because I've been shooting something in Belgium. And so, I got a call from Ryan one night, just saying, "Listen, this is about to break. I want you to know what's happening and everything's going to be fine," and so forth. And it's Miguel's decision. So I was disappointed. When we were doing the premiere in London, I was having a chat with Alex, his wife... This is before, obviously, we knew. It was full-on with him, because he was constant. Of course, he had to direct and do his own bits, obviously his own episodes. And then, of course, he has to overlook the whole thing, make sure the look is still in line with the whole story. I think they're still right now cutting the last couple of episodes, so it's a huge amount. While personally I'm disappointed, because I think he has a great artistic vision, I understand, for the good of his health, he's got to take a long break and recharge himself and decide what else he wants to do next to that. I think the world's his oyster, because he's so incredibly talented.
Sapochnik is known for directing a number of standout episodes of Game of Thrones, including "Hardhome," "Battle of the Bastards," and "The Long Night." Considering the prequel will cover the Targaryen war of succession known as the Dance of the Dragons, the Emmy-winning director was expected to direct equally ambitious and action-packed episodes of House of the Dragon. Many fans share Toussaint's sentiment and are disappointed that won't be the case, though with Sapochnik citing fatigue as the reason for his exit, it's hard to take issue with his decision. Besides, with Sapochnik remaining on board as an executive producer, perhaps he could step in as director someday.
To fill the void left by Sapochnik's departure, House of the Dragon has brought on another Game of Thrones alum in Alan Taylor, whose resume is arguably as impressive. He directed similar standout episodes like "Baelor," "Fire and Blood," and "Beyond the Wall." Though Sapochnik's sudden departure has left some feeling unsure about the future of the show, House of the Dragon remains in good hands with Condal now acting as sole showrunner and Taylor coming aboard to direct episodes for season 2. Despite his disappointment, Toussaint would likely agree that the series will be alright.
House of the Dragon season 1 airs new episodes Sunday nights on HBO.
Source: EW