Although the show did add more diverse characters as it progressed, Game of Thrones was often criticized for its lack of representation. Prequel series House of the Dragon enlisted Steve Toussaint (Prince of Persia, Judge Dredd) to play Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka the Sea Snake, but, of course, his casting was met with backlash from a very different contingent of "fans."
During an interview with Men's Health (via SFFGazette), Toussaint responded to the online negativity surrounding his casting.
“It seems to be very hard for people to swallow,” noted the actor. “They are happy with a dragon flying. They’re happy with white hair and violet-colored eyes, but a rich Black guy? That’s beyond the pale.”
Though never explicitly stated, Velaryon is assumed to be white in the Fire and Blood novel (most of George R.R. Martin's principal characters are), but Toussaint's point is perfectly valid. Even though the mythology behind Westeros is supposed to mirror our own history to some extent, this is a fantasy tale, so "historical accuracy" doesn't really enter into it.
Fortunately, the majority of fans have embraced Toussaint's casting as the Sea Snake.
“What has been wonderful is for every toxic person that has somehow found their way into my timeline, there have been so many others who have been so supportive and been like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t wait, this is going to be great!'” he added. “Even when we were doing certain scenes, there would be supporting artists who would come up and go, ‘It’s great to have this representation.'”
Lord Velaryon is more of a background character in the show at first, but expect him to make his presence felt soon enough!
The first episode of House of the Dragon is now streaming, and was HBO's most-watched series premiere of all time with close to 10 million viewers.
"The prequel series finds the Targaryen dynasty at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires—real and imagined—crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins almost 193 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when King Viserys Targaryen breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm."
House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders) as King Viserys Targaryen, Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One) as Alicent Hightower, Emma D’Arcy (Wanderlust) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The show is set to premiere on August 21.