Meeting Viserys: Paddy Considine on the Targaryen king’s Solomonic choices

Is “House of the Dragon” just about blood, guts, gore and nothing more? Not if we go by “The Heirs of the Dragon,” the first episode of the brand-new series’ hugely anticipated pilot season.

In fact, the “Game of Thrones” prequel didn’t just generate an impressive 82-percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it also attracted 9.98 million viewers—the largest audience for any new original series in the history of HBO.

The spinoff series takes viewers back to the tantalizing saga of the Seven Kingdoms on Westeros with themes that bristle with as much pertinence as provocation, even if it’s supposed to have taken place 172 years before the birth of Daenerys (Emilia Clarke).

At the heart of the Targaryens’ turbulent generational war is King Viserys (Paddy Considine), who was chosen to succeed ailing King Jaehaerys (Michael Carter) over the Iron Throne’s rightful successor, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best).

Later in the first episode, Viserys finds himself in a difficult position as he must choose between his firstborn daughter, Princess Rhaenyra (Emily Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), and his reckless younger brother, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), as his successor.

Of course we know now that this complicated situation conflagrates even more when Rhaenyra’s best friend, Lady Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke), enters the deal-breaking, power-grabbing fray.

But as they say, with great power comes great responsibility—along with the Solomonic decisions Viserys must make to keep the rules of power turning.

“One of the things that I really love about Viserys is that he is one of very few characters in his world that is not driven by power,” Paddy told us during a recent roundtable interview. “But he’s a very incorruptible man, which works to his detriment. The job of being king is something that he finds very difficult because people want a tyrant. They understand tyranny more than they understand reason and kindness—and I thought that was what was original about him.

“I’d have been disappointed if the character was just like a lot of the others in that world. That’s what separates him, really. It is said that Viserys is a good man, but a bad king—but I don’t think that’s true. I do not think he’s a bad king. He just isn’t the kind of king the people want.”

Given Viserys’ strained relationship with Daemon, Paddy said that this wasn’t something he had difficulty identifying with.

“You know, I have a brother and sisters—and we also have complications within our own dynamic as a family,” Paddy shared. “At one point in their shared history, Daemon and Viserys were probably close, and the only thing that changed between them was the fact that Viserys became king.

Volatile character

“Unfortunately, Daemon is a very volatile character. And while Viserys loves him, the king feels that his brother is a liability, so he always has to make excuses for him, until such time when Daemon offended him so deeply with his words that Viserys had no choice but to banish him because, if he didn’t, he would’ve killed him! Those were the dynamics I was playing with.

“Daemon is the kind of brother you don’t want to turn up at a party. But if he’s your brother, you know you’re bound by blood, so you just have to do what’s right. And I think Viserys really struggles with Daemon being his brother.”

It didn’t hurt that a fine actor like Matt Smith was cast as Daemon. “We got on really well,” Paddy admitted. “We’re both instinctive and respectful of each other’s approach to characterization. We just wanted to elevate what was there on the page and searched for depth. There weren’t too many discussions about how to interact as brothers, we just seemed to work off each other’s energy.”

Acknowledging the perception of kindness in the way Viserys rules his kingdom, Paddy said that this was inspired by his mother.

“I probably brought too much of myself to Viserys,” said the 48-year-old Bafta-winning British actor, laughing. “He’s a sensitive guy. He’s well aware of the game, but I don’t think he knows how to play it. He’s too sentimental and too human for a king.

“The reference to my mother is quite personal, but it’s something that I can only allude to because talking about it would reveal too much about Viserys’ journey. If anything, I did imbue him with a kind of sensitivity that I don’t think has been seen in that kingdom. And that’s probably more Paddy than King Viserys. I’m a very kind man, but I can also be horrible when I feel the urge to.”

The merging of themes also keeps the show perpetually compelling, Paddy added. “It’s just classic storytelling. [Novelist] George (RR Martin) is a historian, and history just keeps repeating itself in one form or another. Human beings like to be ruled, and I think that the pandemic showed that they like to be told what to do as well—which kind of blew my mind, really.

Fantastical elements

“‘Game of Thrones’ is not new in terms of its themes, because those same issues go back thousands of years. If you really break it down and look at certain situations now, I’m not sure if humans have actually progressed at all.”

Moreover, while it’s a world that revolves around fantastical elements, creatures and beings, Paddy said he wanted his character to feel “real.”

“I had to understand my character first, then the politics and the world he inhabits come after,” he mused. “Because, at the end of the day, my only job is to make Viserys as believable as I possibly can. I had to ground it in reality—and I did that by putting my heart into Viserys.

“There were some really great actors and fantastic performances in ‘Game of Thrones,’ which very much set the tone for us to go in. So it wasn’t like I was walking into a world where I hadn’t seen excellent things happen in it. The other stuff about the series, like the dragons and all that, is exciting to behold. But, as an actor, they’ve got to be secondary to the drama. When I read the scripts, I just saw it as a drama about a powerful but dysfunctional family.”

Asked to dig deeper into the complexity of Viserys’ motivations, it was noted how isolating the king’s responsibility could feel for someone who carries more burden—like choosing between his baby and his wife, for instance—than any of the self-interested people around him.

“Yeah, it goes back to the fact that he’s not driven by power. He’s driven by responsibility and respect. He respects his elders and the history of Valyria and the Targaryens. But what I found even more interesting about him is that he sees everything that’s going on. He understands what it means to be a king and is aware that the Iron Throne is a poisoned chalice—it’s cursed!

Vying for power

“Everybody is vying for this position of power, but they want to be on the seat for all the wrong reasons. Viserys wanting peace may be perceived as a sign of weakness, but as he reveals in the first episode, he’s also carrying a secret that has implications affecting 170-odd years into the future. That could refer to the potential fall of man in that world. Viserys is no fool! “Viserys says to his daughter Rhaenyra, ‘This is the most dangerous seat in the realm,’ so making her his heir is not a decision the king takes lightly. He’s a father whose only choice for his successor is his daughter. And he understands that he’s given her a potential life sentence!”

Asked what he thought could explain the franchise’s popularity, Paddy pointed out, “Viewers want to see the drama and dysfunction. They tune in because they’re intrigued by other people’s flaws and failings. They look for characters they can identify with. Also, we’re a very, very nosy race, aren’t we (laughs)?”

Did he feel any trepidation in joining a new universe with such a history and a passionate fan base?

“There’s a responsibility to make it as good as you possibly can, because the first series was excellent,” Paddy admitted. “There’s the world of the television series, and then, there’s the world of the fans who plumb deep into George’s books. I have deep respect for the work, but at the end of the day, I’m just an actor given the responsibility of playing King Viserys. I can’t really take on any of the other stuff—that’s out of my reach. I just do my job.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want people to like it or respond well to it. I’ve seen the first episode, and it works really well. I’m also aware of the fact that the franchise has a massive fan base. They don’t want to be patronized; they just want to see a good interpretation of this world that they love so much. But you’re not going to get everything right. We can’t please everybody.

“You know, there were a lot of disgruntled people when I was cast in the role, which was quite unfair—because they haven’t seen anything yet. But it’s alright. I think most people just wanted it to be good, and I certainly did my best. So, I’m just going to leave it to the gods now.”

You can stream or download “House of the Dragon” on HBO Go.