When it comes to journalistic integrity, one should aspire to remain as unbiased as possible. However, when it comes to House of the Dragon and the Targaryen dynasty, unfortunately, I have to go Team Black! Rhaenyra is the one true king of Westros, and everyone knows it!
So in honor of the new season, it was a true privilege to speak with her biggest allies in the fight against The Greens, which includes a legendary cast consisting of the great Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Matt Smith, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, and somehow we ended up getting Fabien Frankel in there too (all joking aside he’s a terrific actor and person all around and we were grateful to speak with him as well)!
For those of you keeping up with the conflict between the Targaryens and Hightowers, you’ll know what a wise and honorable ruler Rhaenyra (wonderfully played by Emma D’arcy) actually is and would be. So it’s no surprise that the character has managed to surround herself with some of the finest warriors and advisors imaginable, including Rhaenys Targaryen (Best), her husband Lord Corlys Velaryon (Toussaint), Daemon Targaryen (Smith), and the next generation of rulers, Jace Velaryon (Collett), and Baela Targaryen (Antonia). Even had the chance to speak to an adversary like Criston Cole (Frankel). And we were able to speak to all of them about the new season of the acclaimed blockbuster series. Here’s what they all had to say:
BEST AND TOUSSAINT
The Nerds of Color: Hey guys! Honor to talk to you. I wanted to ask, have fans ever gone up to you and said ‘You are the healthiest and least dysfunctional relationship in this entire universe,’ and what is your response when you hear something like that?
Toussaint: We definitely agree
Best: We agree! Hooray!
<both laugh>
Toussaint: Yeah it’s lovely how people have taken to this unit. This relationship. And how they refer to us as their parents. It’s weird though… So they love that. Hey! It’s great. We did our best to try and create a loving relationship.
Best: I think it’s sort of unheard of in the whole world of Game of Thrones. In all of Westeros. The idea of a healthy and loving relationship. I think that scene we just shot, is the first time we’ve seen a couple in bed. And it’s not either somebody being paid for sex, or some sort of horrible gratuitous psycho game. It’s just two people who love each other having a chat in bed. It’s unheard of.
SMITH AND FRANKEL
I think it’s easy enough to judge these characters on the worst actions they’ve taken. But I think they’re more complex than that. There’s a lot of devotion there to the respective women they both serve. Do you think that’s motivated by real affection? Or more so ambition for what they can utilize these characters for?
Frankel: I think that’s for the audience to decide. I don’t want to say what I’m playing, at least until the show’s out at least. I’m intrigued at what the audiences think. I think undoubtedly one can see it as both ways. Ambition and love, or ambition and affection. Undoubtedly for Cole’s sake they care enormously for these women. That’s a fact. Whether ambition has a part to play in that, who knows? But why do people fall in love with anyone? It’s never just one thing. You fall for someone due to a plethora of things and things that make you attracted to them, both romantically and falling in love with anyone. But there’s a deep sense of care and loyalty that both of these men have for their respective queens and lovers.
Smith: I agree with that.
In the first season we saw these two characters, Cole and Daemon, jousting and not seriously combating each other. But we as fans are excited for the day that you both go toe to toe with each other once more. Are you guys excited for that too?
Smith and Frankel (together): YES!
Frankel: We want that!
Smith: Get it out there! Campaign for it! If you speak to Ryan Condal do posit him with that question because we very much want that.
Frankel: We’re putting it into the ether!
Smith: In a dark wood somewhere!
COLLETT AND ANTONIA
This season is very heavily rooted in grief. Both on Team Black and Team Green. When it comes to Jace and Baela it’s interesting because they’re not taking a similar approach to grief than Daemon is. He’s out for blood and vengeance. These guys are a bit more level-headed as soldiers. But is that desire for vengeance and that anger still lingering in them, and how are these characters keeping that in check?
Collett: 100%. I think all Jace wants is vengeance, and I think all he’s feeling anger, really and mostly sadness. But I think he’s not keeping it in check, to be honest. He’s doing a lot of rational thinking. He’s thinking about himself a lot of the time. He’s forgetting he’s not in charge. And that he’s a 16 year old kid, but he doesn’t want to be treated like one. It’s like a kid saying, ‘but Mom, I’m older now.’ But no he’s not. He’s still young.
Antonia: I’m really excited for people to see the rest of the show, because I think we quickly see they don’t have it in check. And maybe the way they’re portraying themselves right now in the eyes of The Black Council, what we see is them behaving very differently when they’re outside of that world. The second they leave that Council table they’re kind of like different people. And that’s because they’ve just become so comfortable with each other. And they can exist really naturally around each other and talk about things the way they actually want to. Whereas in The Black Table, they’re kind of saying what they know The Queen wants to hear. Especially for Baela. When she’s around Rheanys and Corlys, a lot of the time she really looks up to them. And she wants them to be proud of her, she doesn’t want to let them down. So I think she behaves a little more formally around them. And you don’t get to hear a lot of the time what she has to say or how she would run things.
That officially wraps up our coverage of House of the Dragon folks! And believe me, after everything I’ve seen, I swear you’re only going to want to see more. Remember to check out our interviews with Team Green, as well as showrunner Ryan Condal, and the official press conference as well! Only here on The Nerds of Color!
House of the Dragon Season 2 is now on HBO and Max. New episodes drop every Sunday at 9pm ET/PT!