The second season of House of the Dragon is fast approaching, and Matt Smith, who plays Daemon Targaryen, the uncle-husband to Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen, sat down with Variety for a profile piece, one that included lots of HOTD talk from him as well as his fellow co-star.
During that discussion, Smith and D’Arcy lamented about how they wouldn’t have as many scenes together in the upcoming episodes. Daemon heads to Harrenhal for part of the season, where he will have quite a few scenes against Simon Russell Beale, who is playing the guardian of the castle, Ser Simon Strong. “We used to have a hoot!” Smith told Variety about Beale. “He’d say, ‘Oh darling, I’m bored of this acting. Come in here for some light chitchat. Amazing brain!”
But while Beale was great company, Smith did miss acting with D’Arcy. “It was difficult to do it without them because I love them—a person of real depth and sardonic humor and fierce intellect,” he said.
D’Arcy also missed Smith. “It was kind of rubbish!” they joked to Variety. “The man has incredibly high standards, so you at least have a chance of the work being satisfying. I have petitioned for more time next season.”
We’ll catch Smith, D’Arcy, and Beale when the second season of House of The Dragon premieres on HBO and Max on June 16, 2024.
