House of the Dragon Star Paddy Considine Rejected Game of Thrones Role as it Had “Dragons”
In an amusing bit of irony, House of the Dragon leading man Paddy Considine has revealed he previously passed on a prime part in Game of Thrones, the very show that sparked this new prequel series’ fantastical Targaryen realm. He later played a very vital role in House of the Dragon, ironically which had “dragons” in its name.
Why did Paddy Considine Reject the Game of Thrones Role?
As per Giant Freakin Robot, according to Paddy Considine, when initially approached about Thrones, he instantly rejected the opportunity upon hearing “about dragons.” Imagine his surprise all these years later playing Viserys Targaryen, the dragon-commanding king at the center of HBO’s fiery new spinoff.
Considine didn’t expand on what the specific Game of Thrones character would have been. But given the show’s intricate web of ambitious nobles, scheming politicians, and warring families, we can easily imagine the intense actor embodying any number of the series’ complex key players.
Perhaps he was eyed for wily Master of Whispers Varys or the stern Stannis Baratheon? Even conniving Petyr Baelish seems a fitting match for Considine’s singular talents. In any case, the missed opportunity must sting in retrospect considering Thrones’ monstrous success.
If Considine assumed he was avoiding dragons altogether back then, House of the Dragon proved him oh so wrong. As referenced right in the title, the new prequel centers on the dragon-riding ancestors of Daenerys Targaryen herself, meaning giant fire-breathing beasts reign supreme here.
How Did House of the Dragon’s Explosive First Season End?
Now that the dust has settled on the first season’s incendiary finale, House of the Dragon left viewers on a note of high tensions and tragic bloodshed destined to trigger an all-out Targaryen civil war moving forward. Princess Rhaenys made a fiery entrance to Dragonstone to announce King Viserys’ death and Prince Aegon’s ascension to the throne, the shocking news inducing Rhaenyra into a devastating stillbirth. From there, with both sides vying for the crown, events spiraled violently out of control.
Daemon continued pressing a grieving Rhaenyra to declare war for the throne as allies mobilized around the two rival Targaryen factions. But hopes of a peaceful unification were shattered when a fateful envoy mission ended in disaster and tragedy, triggering the first violent dragon-on-dragon clash of the coming struggle.
During a contentious parlay with Lord Borros Baratheon’s court, Prince Aemond pursued Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys into the skies, defying their riders’ control. When the younger dragon Arrax spewed fire at the formidable Vhagar, the largest dragon in Westeros ferociously devoured both Lucerys and his mount in front of a horrified Aemond.
Upon learning of her son’s gruesome death at the jaws of a dragon, Rhaenyra was left utterly devastated and consumed by rage. With peace now impossible, the stage is set for an all-out war between the two branches of House Targaryen, their competing claims, and their formidable dragons. Season 2 promises even more duplicity, bloodshed, and scorched earth as Rhaenyra and Aegon’s factions clash for the Iron Throne.
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