One of the joys of performing in House of the Dragon is the opportunity to appear in action sequences on top of dragons. While that feat is rather underwhelming from an acting standpoint, since — spoiler alert — the dragons aren’t real, it seems that Paddy Considine still regrets the circumstances of his role as Viserys I, as the aged king doesn’t do much of that anymore when the show picks up the Fire & Blood narrative.
Considine portrays the current Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, taking over from King Jaehaerys the Wise. Canonically speaking, Viserys is more than 30 years old when House of the Dragon starts, and the challenges of sitting on the world’s most uncomfortable chair — evident by the fact that he cuts himself on it more than once — have taken their toll on the Targaryen monarch.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the British actor revealed his disappointment after learning that Viserys doesn’t get to ride a dragon. The revelation certainly had an undesirable effect on his nephews, too.
“He’s retired from dragon riding. He rode the infamous Black Dread, who is dead now. It’s a shame for me because all my nephews thought it was exciting their uncle was going to be a dragon rider. I could see their little faces getting more and more disappointed when I told them, ‘Well, I don’t actually ride a dragon.’ Viserys sees dragons as atomic bombs. He knows their power. And he also understands the Targaryens wouldn’t be the force they were in the world without them. So he understands their importance and is very responsible about how they’re used and that they’re not to be messed with.”
Well, you know what they say; “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” And perhaps no other statement perfectly sums up King Viserys’ character arc in House of the Dragon.
You can stream the first episode of the spinoff series on HBO Max now, with the second episode making its way to the platform this Saturday.