‘House of the Dragon’: Why Matthew Needham Says Larys Doesn’t Have a Foot Fetish
House of the Dragon has many complicated dynamics involving Targaryens. One that shocked fans was Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham). He explained why Larys doesn’t really have a foot fetish.
Why ‘House of the Dragon’ fans think Lord Larys has a foot fetish
Larys positioned himself to be Queen Alicent’s advisor when she was young. He sat with her on the king’s hunt because he had a club foot and walked with a cane.
Fans watched them talk in the garden after that. But their meeting in the episode “The Green Council” was very different.
Alicent met with Larys in a room. He offered her information about her father, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), finding Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) so quickly. She sits down across from him and takes off her shoes to show him her feet. He revealed her father has spies in the Red Keep, including her lady-in-waiting.
Alicent took off her socks to get more information. Finally, she turned around as Otto pleasured himself while looking at her feet in exchange for his help.
Matthew Needham says Larys of ‘House of the Dragon’ doesn’t have a foot fetish
The scene really changed the perception of Larys and Princess Alicent’s relationship. It also led to some foot fetish jokes online. But Needham told People he doesn’t think Larys has a fetish.
“I don’t think it’s a foot fetish like we understand it,” he said. “I don’t think he’s sexually aroused by feet. It’s more that he’s making her show her feet.”
“You know, this man who’s had this club foot disability all his life is making this incredibly powerful person show him her feet,” the actor continued. “It’s such a power move. It’s a way of reasserting control, putting someone in a box. It’s a display of dominance, really making someone feel as ashamed of that part of her body as he does of his. It’s associating her feet with something traumatic, which is what he does.”
Alicent did look ashamed when she turned away from Larys. We also know she previously shamed Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) for being at a brothel before marriage, so she’s against this type of behavoir.
What is Lord Larys’ plan?
Season 1 ended with Aegon II being crowned king publicly instead of Princess Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra was told to leave Dragonstone because The Greens would come for her and her children. That way, there will be no one left to challenge them.
Fans didn’t get to see The Greens in the finale, but we already watched Alicent tell everyone that Viserys I (Paddy Considine) wanted Aegon II to be king. Alicent found out there was a council that had already planned for her son to take the throne without her.
Lord Larys wasn’t in this council. But he’ll most likely keep his powerful spot by giving her information next season. It’s unclear if that will continue to involve feet or progress to something else.
