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Does the ‘House of the Dragon’ Cast Look Familiar? Here’s Where You’ve Seen Them Before

To fill your 'Game of Thrones' void.

It’s been more than four years since Game of Thrones aired its final episode. And now, the show’s highly anticipated prequel, House of the Dragon, has filled the Westeros void—and a second season is already on the way (even if we don't have an exact premiere date yet).

Since the show features a different cast than GoT, we compiled a list of actors and what else they’ve starred in. That way, you won’t have to pause the episode when you inevitably ask, “Where else have I seen that actor?”

Keep scrolling for details on the House of the Dragon cast.

Ollie Upton/HBO

1. Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen

  • What else he’s been in: Dead Man's Shoes, Peaky Blinders, Informer, The Outsider, The Third Day, The World's End, In America, Tyrannosaur

In addition to House of the Dragon, he’s widely known for playing Richard in Dead Man’s Shoes and Father John Hughes in the third season of Peaky Blinders.

Ollie Upton/HBO

2. Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen

  • What else he’s been in: Doctor Who, The Crown, Morbius, Last Night in Soho, Moses Jones

You probably recognize him from The Crown, where he played Prince Philip in seasons one and two.

Ollie Upton/HBO

3. Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower

  • What else she’s been in: Bates Motel, Ready Player One, Vanity Fair, Modern Love, Slow Horses

She also lent her voice to the popular podcast series, Soft Voices.

Ollie Upton/HBO

4. Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

  • What else they’ve been in: Truth Seekers, Hanna, Mothering Sunday, Wanderlust

After getting their big break as Naomi Richards in Wanderlust, they went on to play Astrid in Truth Seekers.

Ollie Upton/HBO

5. Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon (AKA “The Sea Snake”)

  • What else he’s been in: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Doctors, Silent Witness, Scott & Bailey, Inspector Lewis

Although he was born in the U.K., his family hails from Barbados.

Ollie Upton/HBO

6. Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

  • What else she’s been in: Vital Signs, The Honorable Woman, Nurse Jackie, Lucky Man, Fate: The Winx Saga, The King's Speech

Excluding House of the Dragon, her most noteworthy roles are playing Dr. Eleanor O'Hara in Nurse Jackie and Wallis Simpson in The King's Speech.

Ollie Upton/HBO

7. Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole

  • What else he’s been in: NYPD Blue, The Serpent, An Uncandid Portrait

Prior to joining the House of the Dragon cast, he had only three acting credits to his name.

Ollie Upton/HBO

8. Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria

  • What else she’s been in: Crazy Rich Asians, Maniac, Devs

Although she mainly works in television, she had a small role in the 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians.

Ollie Upton/HBO

9. Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower

  • What else he’s been in: Notting Hill, Snowden, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Elementary, Berlin Station

If he looks familiar, it’s probably because he played Dr. Curt Connors (AKA The Lizard) in The Amazing Spider-Man.

Ollie Upton/HBO

10. Milly Alcock as Young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

  • What else she’s been in: A Place to Call Home, Pine Gap, Reckoning, Upright

Prior to becoming a House of the Dragon cast member, she portrayed Meg in Australia’s Upright.

Ollie Upton / HBO

11. Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen

  • What else he’s been in: High Life, The Last Kingdom, The Halcyon

His biggest claim to fame is starring in four seasons of The Last Kingdom.

Ollie Upton / HBO

12. Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon

  • What else he’s been in: Dunkirk, Dolittle, Galavant, Casualty

After several guest appearances, Harry Collett landed the role of Oliver “Ollie” Hide in Casualty.

Ollie Upton / HBO

13. Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling

  • What else he’s been in: Aquaman, Lucifer, Preacher, Castlevania, The Witcher, Outlander

In addition to The Witcher and Outlander, he also portrayed Dwalin in The Hobbit movies.

Gary Moyes / HBO

14. Matthew Needham as Lord Larys “The Clubfoot” Strong

  • What else he’s been in: Casualty, Sherlock, Stutterer, The Ritual, Great Expectations

Before joining the House of the Dragon cast, Matthew Needham starred alongside Collett in Casualty.

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A Spoiler-Free Review of HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’ Premiere: Violence, Drama & One Particularly Horrifying Scene



Greta Heggeness

Senior Editor

Greta Heggeness is a California-based editor at PureWow and has been writing about entertainment since 2015. She covers everything from awards shows to exclusive celebrity...
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