Paddy Considine shares unlikely inspiration for Game of Thrones prequel role
Actor plays Viserys Targaryen in the upcoming ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Paddy Considine has revealed that he based his performance in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon on his mother.
In the forthcoming series, Considine plays King Viserys Targaryen, the compassionate ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and ancestor to Emilia Clarke’s character Daenarys Targaryen.
In an interview with The Independent – which can be read here – the actor explained that he was “flattered” to have been cast in the show, and described his mindset going into the role.
“The last thing you do when you play a king is go, ‘I’m the king,’” he said.
“All you’ve got to do is be you, a human, and be compassionate. Lose the crown, lose the pomp, lose the bulls***, just play the person. And when I played Viserys Targaryen, I just played my mum, you know. That’s what I played – my mother.”
When asked to elaborate on this comparison, Considine said that his mother was a source of strength for him while her own health suffered.
He said: “She was just an anchor for me. I loved her very much. But she was a woman who became very, very sick.
“She had diabetes. She lost sight in both of her eyes. And she lost both of her legs. She was in a terrible, terrible state. But I think she hid inside her illness, and that made it worse for her.”
The Macbeth star then went on to link his mother’s handling of her illness to King Viserys’ storyline on the series: “It was a lot for us and everyone around to care for her, whereas she needed to care for herself, too.
“And that’s what this character does, eventually, you know... he becomes very sick and hides in his illness.”
House of the Dragon is scheduled to premiere in August. You can read The Independent’s full interview with Paddy Considine here.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments