LGBTQ
+ representation will be at the forefront of HBO's upcoming
Game of Thrones
prequel series.
House of the Dragon
will be centered around the
family members within House Targaryen
and will cover the relatives' "civil war" to rule Westeros. The main storyline will involve King Viserys I Targaryen (played by Paddy Considine) choosing a new heir to ascend to his throne.
Among the candidates vying for the position to rule the Seven Kingdoms is the character of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who will be
played by nonbinary actor Emma D'Arcy
.
D'Arcy is best known for their work on TV shows like
Hanna
,
Truth Seekers
, and
Wanderlust
. They also starred in films such as 2020's
Misbehaviour
and 2021's
Mothering Sunday
.
Rhaenyra is the eldest child of Viserys I, but the character happens to be a woman. According to the
newly-released trailer for
House of the Dragon
, many characters question if a woman could ascend to the throne and rule over Westeros. As such, the heir presumptive is Prince Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith), who is the younger brother of King Viserys I, and therefore an uncle to Rhaenyra.
There is no clear indication if a nonbinary actor like D'Arcy was cast as Rhaenyra because the character's gender identity might come up in the series. It is equally plausible that D'Arcy simply felt comfortable playing a female role and their gender identity will have nothing to do with the performance. In any event,
LGBTQ+ representation in the
Game of Thrones
TV universe
is a huge deal nonetheless.
House of the Dragon
premieres August 21 on
HBO Max
.
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