HBO has announced today that Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Gavin Spokes, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, and David Horovitch have all joined the cast of their hotly awaited Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.
McTavish (The Hobbit; Preacher) will play Ser Harrold Westerling, Corr (Holding the Man; The Water Diviner) will portray Ser Harwin 'Breakbones' Strong, Horovitch (The Young Victoria; Cassandra's Dream) has been cast as Grand Maester Mellos, Needham (Chernobyl; Sherlock) will is Larys Strong, Spokes (Brexit; Hitmen) will play Lord Lyonel Strong, and Hall (Tenet; Halloween) will portray the twin roles of Lords Jason and Tyland Lannister.
The first season has already been confirmed to run ten episodes, with 2x Primetime Emmy-winning Game of Thrones veteran director Miguel Sapochnik serving as co-showrunner alongside Ryan Condel (Colony). Sapochnik will also helm the pilot, and additional season one directors will include Clare Kilner (EastEnders), Geeta Patel (The Witcher), and Greg Yaitanes (House).
Here are all of the official season one character descriptions, via HBO:
- Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings.
- Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.
- Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything — but she was not born a man.
- Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air.
- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Sea Snake” — Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As “The Sea Snake,” the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.
- Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower — The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.
- Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon — A dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria — Mysaria came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted but instead she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, of Dornish descent, the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. Cole has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword.
- Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin ‘Breakbones’ Strong - ‘Breakbones’, Harwin is said to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Harwin is the eldest son to Master of Laws Lyonel Strong and heir to Harrenhal.
- Jefferson Hall as Lord Jason Lannister - the Lord of Casterly Rock and twin to Ser Tyland Lannister.
- Jefferson Hall as Tyland Lannister - a crafty and calculating politician, twin to Lord Jason Lannister.
- David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos - a voice of reason and trusted advisor to King Viserys.
- Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling - Ser Harrold has served in the Kingsguard since the days of King Jaehaerys; he is a paragon of chivalry and honor.
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong - younger son of Master of Laws Lyonel Strong, brought to court by his father.
- Bill Paterson as Lord Lyman Beesbury - Lord of Honeyholt and Master of Coin on King Viserys’s small council.
- Gavin Spokes as Lord Lyonel Strong - Master of Laws to King Viserys and Lord of Harrenhal.
Production is currently underway, with the series expected to debut exclusively on HBO and HBO Max in 2022.