‘House of the Dragon’: Fabien Frankel Was Told They Needed a More ‘Jason Momoa Type’ When He Auditioned for Criston Cole

Fabien Frankel has fans swooning over his portrayal of Ser Criston Cole in HBO’s House of the Dragon. His character undergoes quite a change in the show’s first season. After Rhaenyra rejects him as a serious romantic partner, he turns his allegiance to Alicent Hightower. Though Frankel nails the role, HBO didn’t initially think he was suitable for the part.

Fabien Frankel plays Ser Criston Cole in ‘House of the Dragon’

It’s hard to imagine anyone besides Fabien Frankel portraying the handsome knight Ser Criston Cole. Criston appears in the premiere episode. He is introduced as an experienced soldier and even manages to best Daemon in a tournament.

Rhaenyra is impressed by Criston and the fact that he is one of the few knights who has experienced battle. He becomes her sworn protector and close friend. Then their relationship changes in episode 4. Rhaenyra seduces Criston, and they sleep together, though Crison is initially hesitant to break his vows.

Later, Criston proposes to Rhaenyra that the pair should run away together, but Rhaenyra can’t leave her duties as princess and heir to the Iron Throne behind. Instead, she suggests that she and Criston can continue sleeping together while she is married to Laenor, who is secretly gay. Criston takes offense to the idea, leading him to turn to Alicent Hightower.

Frankel was told he wasn’t right for the part when he first auditioned for the HBO series

Believe it or not, Frankel didn’t know much about the role when he sent in his audition. “I got an email from my agent that said ‘Untitled HBO Television Series,'” he told The New York Times. The character’s name was listed only as “Clint.”

Surprisingly, Frankel wasn’t selected for the role right away. “I did the audition and heard nothing back other than that they were looking for a slightly more Jason Momoa type for the part. That certainly wasn’t me, and I really didn’t think about it again,” he continued.

Momoa had a role in House of the Dragon‘s parent series, Game of Thrones. He portrayed Khal Drogo, a chieftain of a Dothraki khalasar, for one season.

Six months after sending his audition, Frankel was finally offered the part of Ser Criston Cole. “What I still don’t know, and I’m fascinated to know, is whether they couldn’t find their Jason Momoa type or if they decided to change their casting brief. If the opportunity arises to ask them, I will,” Frankel said.

Fabien Frankel became a sex symbol for portraying Ser Criston

In particular, Frankel’s intimate scene with Rhaenyra made him something of a sex symbol, but the actor told The New York Times that he wasn’t really aware of that fact. “I mean, I suppose it was inevitable for whoever was going to have a romance with Rhaenyra,” he stated. “But I can tell you now that no one in my close circle is swooning.”

All episodes of House of the Dragon are currently streaming on HBO Max.