HBO’s highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, introduces fans to Westeros 200 years before the events of its predecessor — and to plenty of unknown actors getting their big breaks.
In a sea of names that all seem to have the letters “A” and “E” next to each other, multiple time jumps and subsequent actor changes, it can be tricky to keep all the new characters straight. Here’s your cheat sheet to the first season’s core players and who plays them.
RHAENYRA TARGARYEN
Rhaenyra is House of the Dragon’s version of Daenerys Targaryen. Her father, King Viserys, breaks thousands of years of patriarchal tradition by naming her his heir, setting her up to be the first female ruler of Westeros. The season follows Rhaenyra through adolescence and adulthood as she defends her claim to the Iron Throne.
22-year-old Australian actress Milly Alcock plays Young Rhaenyra during the season’s first five episodes. She’s been in a couple of Australian TV shows, but House of the Dragon sees her in her breakout role.
30-year-old actor Emma D’Arcy takes over as Adult Rhaenyra for the latter half of the season. Bartenders across the globe can thank D’Arcy for the thousands of customers ordering negroni sbagliatos with prosecco in them; D’Arcy’s sultry proclamation of their drink of choice went viral on TikTok earlier this month.
ALICENT HIGHTOWER
Whose drink of choice is a gin martini with a twist? That’s Olivia Cooke, who plays Adult Alicent opposite D’Arcy’s Adult Rhaenyra. As Queen of Westeros, Alicent wants her own children on the throne, even if she has to ruin some friendships to make it happen. Before House of the Dragon, 28-year-old English actress Cooke starred in the drama thriller series Bates Motel.
19-year-old English actress and resident cool girl Emily Carey plays Young Alicent. You may recognize her as young Diana in the 2017 superhero flick Wonder Woman.
DAEMON TARGARYEN
Is he a villain? An anti-hero? An inspiration to platinum blonde girlies worldwide? All of the above. Prince Daemon is the king’s mischievous brother who lives life by his own rules. He’s also Rhaenyra’s uncle, but in the Targaryen family, the possibility of a… ahem, closer relationship is never off the table.
39-year-old English actor Matt Smith’s portrayal of Daemon has garnered him a fresh wave of internet attention. He’s one of the series’ most recognizable names, having played Prince Philip in The Crown and the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who.
VISERYS TARGARYEN
King Viserys is the peace-loving patriarch of the Targaryen family who just wants everyone to be happy. Of course, that’s too much to ask for in Westeros. 49-year-old actor Paddy Considine is a big name in the British film world, but he’s most recognizable from his roles in Peaky Blinders and The Bourne Ultimatum.
OTTO HIGHTOWER
Otto is the Hand of the King. As Viserys’s closest friend and confidante, Otto has the power to subtly sway Viserys’s decisions (and point his eye in the direction of his daughter Alicent). You’ll likely recognize 55-year-old Welsh legend Rhys Ifans from his roles as the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man and Xenophilius Lovegood in the Harry Potter series.
SER CRISTON COLE
Every princess needs a sworn protector, having a knight you want to spend the night with is a bonus. Rhaenyra is drawn to Ser Criston Cole’s strong fighting skills and even stronger morals. Viewers are drawn to 28-year-old English actor Fabien Frankel’s face, which makes its breakout appearance in House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon premiered Aug. 21, but you can stream all episodes on HBO Max. The season finale airs this Sunday at 9 p.m.
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