The ‘House of the Dragon’ Cast Members IRL vs. Their Characters
Wondering which cast members look better without the white-blonde wigs? Same.
House of the Dragon has a huge ensemble cast, some of whom you’ve probably seen before (hello, Matt Smith) and some of whom are relatively new to the scene. The ~scene~ being big-budget HBO shows that are poised to take over pop culture for the next several years. And considering House of the Dragon went alllll the way out when it comes to hair, makeup, and costumes, you might be wondering what everyone looks like offscreen. Answer: shockingly different! Check out the cast members compared to their onscreen counterparts (yes, including the Crabfeeder), and FYI, we’ll be adding to this list each week as new characters emerge because this show takes “ensemble” to a whole new level.
Note: House of the Dragon recast several key characters midway through season 1, which is why you’ll be seeing multiple Alicent Hightowers and Rhaenyra Targaryens on this list. As the show has moved well past the younger versions of the main characters, you’ll see those actors at the end of this list, along with the characters who have died in the show. Sorry, dark.
On that note…
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
Olivia plays grown-up Alicent.
Olivia Cooke IRL
Her vibes are impeccable, and of all the actors, she is one of the least “disguised” by her costume, imo.
Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
Behold, adult Rhaenyra! Rhaenyra is (IMO) the rightful queen of Westeros, and she’s currently fighting for her throne.
Emma D’Arcy IRL
Wow, been searching for my summer mood and here it is.
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
Matt Smith plays Daemon Targaryen, the somewhat petulant and pretty violent younger brother of King Viserys who ends up marrying his niece????
Matt Smith IRL
The lack of blonde hair is really throwing me.
Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
Aegon is a dragon rider whose face was destroyed last season, so he looks pretty different than season 1.
Tom Glynn-Carney IRL
And even more different IRL, obviously.
Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
Aemond is Aegon's younger brother who lost his eye when he claimed the largest dragon in the realm, Vhagar.
Ewan Mitchell IRL
While Aemond is hardcore AF, Ewan looks so much sweeter.
Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
Helaena is the only daughter of Alicent and Viserys, and she’s now married to her own brother, making her the queen. Yikes.
Phia Saban IRL
And in real life, she has red hair! What a plot twist.
James Norton as Ormund Hightower
Ormund is Alicent and Gwayne’s cousin, and he is the head of house Hightower.
James Norton IRL
With a scowl like that, he’ll fit right in with the battle-prone HotD crew.
Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower
Freddie joined the cast in season 2 as Alicent’s brother Gwayne, who comes to help fight battles on her son’s behalf.
Freddie Fox IRL
And thankfully, he’s a lot less bruised and bloodied in person.
Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
Jacaerys is a dragon rider and the eldest son and heir of Queen Rhaenyra.
Harry Collett IRL
Harry pretty much has the same vibe as his on-screen counterpart. The skeleton look here is... foreboding.
Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen
Baela is the eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon. She's also engaged to Jacaerys and rides the young dragon Moondancer.
Bethany Antonia IRL
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The glow! The lip! Could not be more obsessed if I tried.
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