Paddy Considine, star of “House of the Dragon,” revealed that George R.R. Martin had texted him that his portrayal of Viserys Targaryen was superior than his own in the “Game of Thrones” novels.
In the first eight episodes of the hit HBO series, Considine portrayed King Viserys, a noble monarch who battles to maintain his kingdom as his health declines.
Considine stated in a recent interview with GQ that Martin, the author of the novel upon which the series is based, approved of his interpretation of the character.
“I received a text message that read, ‘Your Viserys is better than mine,’” remembered the 49-year-old actor. “It originated with George R.R. Martin. And I said to myself, “That’s it. Thanks for trusting me.’”
Martin also lauded Considine’s performance as Viserys in a fan Q&A video released on Twitter before to the premiere of the season.
“Viserys Targaryen is king I, as played by Paddy Considine on the show, is superior to King Viserys in ‘Fire & Blood,’ which I penned “Martin said. “He’s now more powerful and conflicted, yet he’s a terrible figure. He has characteristics of King Lear, if I may say so, and this has made his performance in the show incredibly fascinating to observe.”
During the GQ interview, Considine defended Viserys’ sympathetic leadership over Westeros, which fans and series characters regard as a sign of weakness.
“The notion that he is weak is really absurd, in my opinion. He is simply too compassionate for the position. I believe that his sense of responsibility drove him to despair “Considine added. “I thought it particularly intriguing that he was not corrupted by authority. He only desired tranquility. He wished for people’s happiness at the end of the day, yet this made him vulnerable.”
He added: “So how could he have been more relatable if he were a dictator? If he was a dictator? Would that make you happier? It is not his identity.”
The director of episode eight, Geeta Patel, revealed to Entertainment Weekly that Viserys died at the conclusion of the episode, indicating that it is likely Considine’s last episode on the program.
“House of the Dragon” airs on HBO on Sundays at 9:00 p.m.