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TL;DR:

  • Game of Thrones actor Carice van Houten wants to join House of the Dragon.
  • Given Melisandre’s unnatural lifespan, a House of the Dragon cameo could work.
  • It’s unclear what role Melisandre would play in the Game of Thrones prequel.
'Game of Thrones' actor Carice van Houten, who wants to make an appearance in 'House of the Dragon.' She's wearing a white, long-sleeved dress and her black hair is down.
Carice van Houten | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO

House of the Dragon is drawing fans back into the world of Game of Thrones, and it seems they aren’t the only ones missing Westeros. Although the HBO prequel is set around 200 years before Game of Thrones, one actor from the original series wants to make an appearance. And despite the centuries-long gap, a cameo isn’t completely impossible.

‘Game of Thrones’ actor Carice van Houten wants to join ‘House of the Dragon’

House of the Dragon has gotten plenty traction online since its Aug. 21 premiere, and even former Game of Thrones cast members are pumped for the prequel. That includes Melisandre actor Carice van Houten, who wants to do more than watch the Game of Thrones spinoff; she also wants to be a part of it.

Per RadioTimes, van Houten published a photo of Melisandre on Instagram Stories. With it, she wrote, “Just watched House of the Dragon. I’m just saying, Melisandre is centuries old…”

She makes a good point, as Melisandre is one of the only Game of Thrones characters who could show up in House of the Dragon.

Carice van Houten is right: a Melisandre cameo isn’t impossible

Because of the 200-year time difference between Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, cameos from the original cast are likely off the table.

Carice van Houten’s Melisandre is one exception to that, as the Red Priestess possesses magic. And thanks to Game of Thrones, we know Melisandre used her magic to prolong her lifespan. It’s unclear how old the Red Woman is, but she seems to be alive when House of the Dragon takes place.

During a Game of Thrones Inside the Episode, showrunner David Benioff revealed Melisandre is “several centuries old.” That suggests she’s around for the Dance of the Dragons. And that means House of the Dragon could technically bring in Game of Thrones actor Carice van Houten. But should it?

Could ‘House of the Dragon’ bring the Melisandre actor in?

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‘House of the Dragon’: Episode Count and Release Schedule on HBO

House of the Dragon could get away with bringing actor Carice van Houten back to the franchise, but whether it should do so is a different story.

Such a cameo wouldn’t create continuity issues, but it’s not clear what role she’d play in the Targaryen civil war. Melisandre’s backstory begins across the Narrow Sea, and it’s heavily connected to the Lord of Light. There’s no suggestion that she was involved in any of Westeros’ major historical events.

Of course, House of the Dragon‘s “Weeks Ahead” trailer (via YouTube) mentions the Prince That Was Promised and the prophecy outlined in A Song of Ice and Fire. Since Melisandre knows that prophecy, that may open the door for a cameo. We’ll have to see if it actually happens.

In the meantime, the Game of Thrones prequel has introduced plenty of new characters for fans to learn about.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

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