Paddy Considine Explains How He ‘Damaged His Hip’ Plus the Improvised Moment in ‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 8
After over a decade, King Viserys Targaryen succumbs to his illness in the House of the Dragon episode “The Lord of the Tides.” Behind the scenes, Paddy Considine, who plays Viserys in the HBO prequel series, hurt himself filming the King’s final moments. Find out what happened to the actor while playing the frail, dying man, plus details about an improvised moment from the episode.
What disease does Viserys have?
As Considine explained on EW’s West of Westeros podcast, King Viserys’ illness is “a form of leprosy.” He added: “He’s suffering. His body is deteriorating. His bones are deteriorating. So, he’s not actually old. He’s still a young man in there. He’s just, unfortunately, got this thing that’s taken over his body. It becomes a metaphor for being king and the stress and strain that it puts on you, you know? And what it does to you physically. What it does to you mentally.”
King Viserys’ illness worsens in ‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 8
Despite his condition, Viserys does everything in his power to do right by his family and the realm in episode 8. Just when it seems his Lord Hand will hear the petitions regarding the claim to the Driftwood Throne, King Viserys arrives to slowly makes his way to the Iron Throne and hear the petitions himself.
Filming that scene was physically taxing on Considine. “I put my hip out doing it,” the actor told Vulture. “It’s only just felt like everything’s settled now, months after it.”
In Considine’s mind, King Viserys knew this was the last day of his life. “So he makes this massive, slow, painful walk as a kind of act of defiance, really, an act of strength,” he added. “I had to do the walk up and down that throne room, which was really long. I can’t remember how many times I had to do it, but I damaged my hip doing it.”
He recalls breaking three or four walking sticks while filming the scene, too. “It was a really physical few days’ work, that was,” the actor said.
‘House of the Dragon’ episode ‘The Lord of the Tides’ features a moment of improv
During his emotionally charged walk to the throne, King Viserys’ crown falls to the floor. A member of the King’s Guard offers to help him, but Viserys denies assistance. When a second helping hand shows up, it’s Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). He retrieves the crown and puts it on his brother’s head.
“The moment with the crown was an accident,” Considine revealed. “It just fell off my head and crashed on the floor. Matt picks it up, walks me to the throne, and I sit down and slump in the throne, and then he takes the crown and places it on my head. That’s where we were at by that point, as actors together, as brothers.”
‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 8 ending explained
A lot happened in “The Lord of the Tides,” including the half-beheading of Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson) and the rekindling of friendship between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Perhaps the most significant moment came at the end of the episode just before King Viserys took his last breath.
He mentions the Song of Ice and Fire again, the prophecy that claims: “from my blood come the prince that was promised and his will be the song of ice and fire.” Confused, Alicent asks if Viserys is referring to their son, Prince Aegon. Viserys, also confused and believing he’s speaking to his daughter, replies: “To unite the realm against the cold and the dark. It is you. You are the one. You must do this.”
What will Alicent’s misunderstanding mean for the realm? Watch House of the Dragon every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
