Matt Smith Talks Playing a ‘Much Weaker’ Daemon in House of the Dragon Season 2

Summary

• Daemon Targaryen in Season 2 of House of the Dragon is a different version, showcasing a weaker side of his character shift.
• Season 2 explores Daemon’s changing relationship with wife/niece, Rhaenyra, as House Targaryen faces all-out war.
• Matt Smith was the first choice for Daemon Targaryen, chosen for his exceptional performance over star power.

Matt Smith, one of the leading stars of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, says that the Daemon Targaryen found in Season 2 is drastically different from the devilish rogue seen in Season 1. Set 200 years before the events of HBO’s landmark fantasy series, House of the Dragon showcases the rise and fall of House Targaryen, who rule from the Iron Throne with the help of several gigantic dragons. Caught in the middle of the power struggle is Daemon Targaryen (Smith), a black prince with his own ambitions and thirst for power outside the Iron Throne.

Matt Smith recently sat down with Variety to discuss the upcoming second season and teased that Daemon undergoes a drastic character shift when the show returns this June. “We definitely meet Daemon at a point of crisis in this situation, and in many ways, it’s a different version of him,” Smith said. Season 1 saw Daemon’s influence rise and fall through several battles and marriages (including one, in true Westeros fashion, to his niece Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy). Season 2 drags House Targaryen and House Hightower into the grips of an all-out war, as the two allies-turned-rivals battle for power. Smith continued describing the version of Daemon’s character in Season 2, saying:

“It’s one that’s much weaker.”

House of the Dragon

Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

Release Date August 21, 2021

Seasons 2

Season 2 will also see Daemon’s relationship with his wife/niece Rhaenyra change in the face of war. Always acting on his own authority, Daemon found himself at the mercy of his enemies’ and allies’ suspicions in Season 1, and Season 2 addresses the fallout of this. D’Arcy, who plays the current version of Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon, commented on their characters’ relationship in Variety’s story and revealed how they depend on each other. D’Arcy said:

“They serve a little thing that’s missing in one another. Daemon offers a diagram for living — he expands her horizons massively. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra gives Daemon something to fight for.”

Matt Smith Was the First Choice to Play Daemon Targaryen

Just like with Game of Thrones, the casting process for House of the Dragon involved finding established, but not internationally adored actors who could deliver exceptional performances, without letting their star power overshadow their characters. In Season 1, Matt Smith was the most high-profile actor attached to the project, having starred in several major series, including Doctor Who and The Crown. In Variety’s story, series co-creator Ryan Condal admitted that Matt Smith was always the front-runner to play Daemon Targaryen. Condal described his desire to cast Smith, saying:

“It was one of those rare instances where you have an actor’s headshot up on the writers’ board.”

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The casting process took place in 2020, during the middle of the COVID pandemic, with Condal commenting “we had to go through two weeks of preparations just to get in the room with the guy.” Ultimately though, Ryan Condal said the palaver of social distancing, isolating, and testing was worth it, as he praised Smith’s audition, saying “he was dazzling.”

Season 2 of
House of the Dragon
begins on HBO and Max on June 16, 2024.

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