Matt Smith is becoming TV’s go-to prince. He portrayed Prince Philip on The Crown, where he was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys, and he’ll play Prince Daemon Targaryen in the Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. Described as 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…” He is the younger brother of King Viserys, played by Paddy Considine in the show, and was born some 200 years before Daenerys.
HBO revealed two more additions to the House of the Dragon cast on Friday: Olivia Cooke, who was fantastic in Sound of Metal, as Alicent Hightower, and Emma D’Arcy (Truth Seekers) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Alicent is “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,” while Princess Rhaenyra is “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.”
No dragons have been announced yet, but we know they’re coming.