‘House of the Dragon’ Actor Tom Glynn-Carney on Aegon’s Future

Be aware: The next comprises gentle spoilers for Home of the Dragon season two episode 5.

King Aegon II Targaryen has survived. However isn’t wanting so nice. Mattress-bound and struggling, the insecure and impulsive despot has paid a excessive worth for recklessly flying Sunfyre into battle at Rook’s Relaxation throughout final week’s episode of Home of the Dragon. Whereas actor Tom Glynn-Carney didn’t have a complete lot of dialogue in tonight’s fifth episode of season two (actually, he had only one phrase, crying out to his mom), fortunately Glynn-Carney had loads of ideas whereas laying there below his prosthetic wounds. Beneath, the 29-year-old English actor takes some our burning (smoldering?) questions.

What was your response to studying this ugly flip of occasions once you first realized about it?

I knew it was coming. When it was coming I wasn’t conscious. However my quick response was about the way it got here collectively by our superb writers with this kind of superb, theatrical, rousing, terrifying, unpredictable craftsmanship that I used to be very completely happy to be on the receiving finish of.

First wanting again on episode 4, whereas it appeared fairly apparent to the viewer, I’m questioning what do you suppose was going by Aegon’s thoughts when he acquired on Sunfyre and went charging into the battle?

He’d been a bit backed right into a nook by all of the issues which have gathered over time with being king the place his worst fears and insecurities have been coming into plain sight and changing into true. He felt weak, and he was seen as weak, and type of ineffective — with what Alicent (Olivia Cooke) had stated to him (“Do nothing”) in his chamber, that was the straw that broke the camel’s again. And he was simply resigned: “I don’t have any choice, I’ve acquired to show myself indirectly.” However you realize, being the way in which he’s, and never being an precise warrior with that kind of fearless braveness that different individuals have, he needed to numb himself and so he acquired blind drunk and jumped on a dragon.

How do you suppose he felt about Aemond’s (Ewan Mitchell) betrayal? It appeared prefer it was clear? I did marvel if Aegon was actually stunned…

I feel the second of recognition was the truth that the fireball was coming at it. I don’t suppose he had time to suppose that he’s performed this on function. If these ideas are to return off, they may in all probability come later. As a viewer, I’m nonetheless not sure. I would like individuals to make their very own minds.

There’s an argument to be made that because the battle, as disastrous because it was, was ultimately received, that he saved the day? Aegon the hero? Or no.

You’ve acquired to take them the place you will get them. Yeah, he’s a hero.

What’s the prosthetic course of like for you shifting ahead?

Lengthy. Very detailed. I acquired to know my superb hair and make-up staff very effectively. I additionally acquired to know myself very effectively.

How do you imply?

The period of time I used to be spending in that chair with these individuals in my very own ideas … However yeah, [the prosthetics] actually influences and informs my efficiency. It kind of instructs me how you can transfer now. The way you breathe, the way you converse adjustments. I’ve a have a bit inside my mouth that I requested for to kind of distort my speech. So all that is nice as a result of it makes me really feel like we’ve made a shift. Aegon has to have modified after this. We’re going to discover a distinction in him and and permit that to proceed and [impact] his selections and have a brand new way of living.

You’ve talked about altering how he strikes. In a earlier interview you talked about how Aegon used to maneuver in a different way than you do. What was that distinction?

He’s slightly bit extra hunched. He’s a bit narrower. I really feel it’s a bit weak and extra weaselly.

Is it weirdly extra enjoyable to play him as now? As a result of that is going to be a lot extra theatrical, in a means.

Yeah! It seems like we’ve transitioned from Richard II to Richard III, if that makes any sense to you. Virtually like a stage up — although on paper, clearly, it’s a stage down. I feel what he loses bodily he good points emotionally and mentally. I’m making an attempt to see it like that.

There’s clearly a parallel there to how Viserys (Paddy Considine) was on the finish, infirm and ghoulish. Did that inform your course of in any respect?

I imply, it’s simply fraught with hazard, isn’t it? Having a crown in your head. One thing nasty goes to occur to you sooner or later. Isn’t it being not having my crown on but? There’s undoubtedly a Viserys comparability, particularly towards his last days and in mattress. No high quality of life by any means. It was solely weeks, months earlier than his dad was in that very same place and in that very same mattress.

Let’s say his destiny wasn’t actually written. What, ideally, would you need on your Aegon’s destiny?

I would like it to be, in a super world, for there to be a possibility to show himself and make selections that he has made — not any individual else who thinks they know higher. To carve out his personal path as king. After which simply see if he fucks it up as a lot as individuals suppose he would possibly. I’d like to present him the area and the time to work it out. It’s a harmful request as a result of they might go horribly improper. I feel individuals underestimate him.

I discovered it attention-grabbing that not one particular person sat by his bedside or held his hand or tried to consolation him in any means — not less than not on this episode. Appears fairly harsh.

It’s desperately, desperately unhappy. Aegon is a boy in a person’s physique and all he’s ever wished is to be proven love and made to really feel seen or not judged. All this stuff that he’s performed prior to now which have given him a popularity, I imagine he’s felt that any consideration is sweet consideration. Sadly, he’s made a reputation for himself now individuals type of need to preserve their distance and so they see him as a poisoned chalice. On the finish of the day, he’s a product of his historical past. He hasn’t had the emotional intelligence to have the ability to cope with that in a wholesome means and transfer ahead from it. Again then, remedy wasn’t actually a factor, was it? He’s been left to his personal gadgets.

And eventually, there’s a second earlier within the season when Aegon is listening to petitions from the commoners within the throne room for the primary time. And Aegon’s intuition is to be like, “Oh, okay, let’s simply give them what they need.” Despite the fact that that’s not sensible. I believed that was attention-grabbing. Folks typically evaluate Aegon to Joffrey, however that was in all probability essentially the most reverse second from Joffrey, whose intuition would have like, at greatest, to reply with: “Why are you asking me for this? Go away.” What a part of Aegon was that?

Whether or not he was making an attempt to do good issues for the sake of doing good issues or as a result of he desires to be seen doing good issues is somewhat completely different. He clearly desires to attempt to be completely different. I’d prefer to suppose that if he had a distinct upbringing that Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) had, then he may be completely different. She was all the time the one along with her faculty image within the body on the fridge. And Aegon and Aemond have been nonetheless within the drawer. We’re nonetheless working him out. I don’t suppose I’ll ever absolutely crack him. However I feel that’s type of the purpose. I don’t suppose he’s cracked himself, both.