The actor behind House of the Dragon’s Corlys Velaryon, richest man in Westeros, is being harassed as a result of he’s Black.
One of the numerous criticisms Game of Thrones confronted was an absence of variety in its giant ensemble forged. The few actors of shade have been pushed into facet roles. House of the Dragon co-showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik saved that in thoughts through the casting course of.
“The world changed a lot between 2011 and 2021 and [so did] what audiences expect to see on camera. The conversations Miguel and I had were: How do we create a diverse cast for House of the Dragon? But still do it in a way that feels organic to the world and doesn’t feel like pandering or tokenism. And also have them not be pirates, slaves and mercenaries like you tend to see in high fantasies?”
One of their decisions is somebody we didn’t hear lots from within the first episode however is a serious participant in Westeros: Corlys Velaryon. The head of House Velaryon and husband of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen managed the most important fleet in Westeros. Due to this, he made House Velaryon the richest of the homes with a brand new seat at High Tide and rising cities below his area. In the Dance of Dragons he backed Rhaenyra. He’s a pressure to be reckoned with.
through HBO
House of the Dragon’s Corlys Velaryon is Black – Get Over It
The actor behind the character in House of the Dragon, Steve Toussaint, has been a fan of the universe for some time. After his casting was introduced, he got here up in opposition to a specific a part of the GoT fandom. Last yr he talked to The Hollywood Reporter in regards to the racial abuse and epithets hurled at him by ‘fans’ of the franchise.
“I didn’t realize [the casting] was a big deal until I was racially abused on social media. Yeah, that shit happened. I was just like, ‘Oh wow,’ and then I thought: ‘OK, so this means a lot to some people, but I can’t allow that to bother me.”
In a current interview with Men’s Health, the actor touched on the topic once more.
“It seems to be very hard for people to swallow. They are happy with a dragon flying. They’re happy with white hair and violet-colored eyes, but a rich Black guy? That’s beyond the pale.”
We’ve seen this occur with Marvel, DC, and the upcoming Lord of the Rings collection too. An enormous world like Westeros and its surrounding lands with simply white individuals is unrealistic and never traditionally correct (should you care about these issues in your fantasy fiction, that’s). If you possibly can settle for dragon driving and all the different fantastical issues in Game of Thrones, it is best to be capable of settle for a Black noble home in Westeros. It’s that straightforward.
Photo Ollie Upton through HBO
In the interview with Men’s Health, Toussaint additionally spoke in regards to the work he put in for the bodily scenes and his understanding of Corlys Velaryon.
“But ultimately, for me, what his engine is, is the fact that he’s trying to elevate his family, elevate his name. When his wife was passed over for the crown, he seems to take it much more personally than she does. Ambition is his driving force for most of the season… He’s all about legacy and about getting as close as possible to the throne.”
I’m wanting ahead to seeing the function he and House Velaryon performs in all of this Targaryen drama this season. New episodes of The House of the Dragon drop on HBO and HBOMax on Sunday evenings.
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Pop tradition workers author that has been on the BoLS group since 2010. Contributor on the One of Us podcast. Marvel, Vertigo, and dystopian sci-fi fan. Enjoys unhealthy motion pictures, wonderful stunt performances, and the web. Hates rom-coms. (she/they)
