The characters from the medieval fantasy television series House of the Dragon are based on their respective counterparts from author George R. R. Martin's 2013 novella The Princess and the Queen, his 2014 novella The Rogue Prince and his 2018 novel Fire & Blood. The series follows the devastating war of succession for the Iron Throne of the continent of Westeros known as the "Dance of the Dragons", fought between Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (the Blacks) and King Aegon II Targaryen (the Greens) and their respective supporters.
Overview = Main cast (credited) = Recurring cast (3+) = Guest cast (1–2) CharacterActors Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Main characters Viserys I Targaryen Daemon Targaryen colspan=3 Rhaenyra Targaryen colspan=3 Otto Hightower colspan=2 Corlys Velaryon colspan=3 Rhaenys Targaryen colspan=2 Mysaria colspan=3 Criston Cole colspan=3 Alicent Hightower colspan=3 colspan=2 Harrold Westerling colspan=2 Larys Strong colspan=3 Jason Lannister colspan=3 rowspan=2 Tyland Lannister Jacaerys Velaryon colspan=3 colspan=2 Aegon II Targaryen colspan=3 colspan=2 Aemond Targaryen colspan=3 colspan=2 Baela Targaryen colspan=3 colspan=2 Rhaena Targaryen colspan=3 colspan=2 Helaena Targaryen colspan=3 colspan=2 Orwyle colspan=2 Hugh Hammer colspan=2 Alyn of Hull colspan=2 Cregan Stark Addam of Hull colspan=2 Ulf White colspan=2 Kat colspan=2 Gwayne Hightower colspan=2 Alys Rivers colspan=2 Simon Strong colspan=2 Ormund Hightower colspan=2 Jon Roxton colspan=2 Roderick Dustin colspan=2 Torrhen Manderly colspan=2 Daeron Targaryen colspan=2 Recurring characters Mellos colspan=2 Lyman Beesbury colspan=2 Lyonel Strong colspan=2 Hobert Hightower colspan=2 Erryk Cargyll colspan=2 Arryk Cargyll colspan=2 Laenor Velaryon colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2 Laena Velaryon colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2 Steffon Darklyn colspan=2 Harwin Strong colspan=2 Vaemond Velaryon colspan=2 Lucerys Velaryon colspan=2 colspan=2 Jasper Wylde colspan=2 Talya colspan=2 Elinda Massey colspan=3 Allun Caswell colspan=2 Gerardys colspan=2 Lorent Marbrand Alfred Broome Bartimos Celtigar Simon Staunton Gormon Massey Martyn Reyne Leon Estermont Eddard Waters Joffrey Velaryon colspan=2 Sylvi colspan=2 Rickard Thorne Dyana Paxter Strong Germund Strong Axell Bulwer Willem Blackwood Jeyne Arryn colspan=2 Petyr Piper Oscar Tully Alysanne Blackwood colspan=2 Luthor Largent colspan=2 Edgar colspan=2 Adrian Redfort colspan=2 Janos colspan=2 Sabitha Frey
Guest cast
Siân Brooke as Aemma Arryn (seasons 1–2) Ben Dilloway as Soren (seasons 1, 3) Patrice Naiambana as the Dragonkeeper Elder (seasons 1, 3) Simon Chandler as High Septon Eustace (seasons 1, 3) Miriam Lucia as Lady Fell (season 1; uncredited season 3) Paul Clayton as Lord Merryweather (seasons 1, 3) Samson Kayo as Mujja (seasons 2–3) James Doherty as Cley (seasons 2–3) Abigail Thorn as Sharako Lohar (seasons 2–3)
Season 1
Michael Carter as Jaehaerys I Targaryen Garry Cooper as Ryam Redwyne Julian Lewis Jones as Boremund Baratheon David Hounslow as Rickon Stark Frankie Wilson as Randyll Barret Gary Raymond as The High Septon Daniel Scott-Smith as Craghas Drahar Solly McLeod as Joffrey Lonmouth Edward Rowe as Howland Sharp Lucy Briers as Ceira Lannister Joanna David as Joselyn Redwyne Alana Ramsey as Lynesse Hightower Chris David Storer as Humfrey Bracken Gabriel Scott as Jerrel Bracken Paul Leonard as Beric Dondarrion Owen Oakeshott as Gerold Royce Rachel Redford as Rhea Royce Arty Froushan as Qarl Correy Dean Nolan as Reggio Haratis Haqi Ali as Kelvyn Roger Evans as Borros Baratheon
Season 2
Sam C. Wilson as Blood Mark Stobbart as Cheese Ryan Kopel as Aeron Bracken Kieran Burton as Davos Blackwood Steven Pacey as Gunthor Darklyn Tim Faraday as Amos Bracken Aedan Day as Raylon Bracken Kenneth Collard as Forrest Frey Emeline Lambert as Alyssa Targaryen John-Paul Hurley as Lord Darry Anna Francolini as Lady Mallister Turlough Convery as Lord Mooton Daniel Fathers as Humfrey Lefford Robert Rhodes as Silver Denys Joshua Ben-Tovim as Brynden Rivers
Season 3
Charlie Gordon as the false Daeron Targaryen Peter Polycarpou as Lord Gaunt Abigail Thaw as Lady Gaskell Peter Sandys-Clarke as Lord Bywater Adam Brown as Glendon Footly Alexandra Moen as Sharis Footly Lewis MacDougall as Tom Tangletongue Douglas Russell as Garrick of Whitegrove Abhin Galeya as Leo Daniel Boyd as Arrion Baratheon Will Stevens as the false Arrion Baratheon Joe Gaminara as Lyonel Bentley Richard Riddell as Walys Mooton
Notes
Main characters Viserys I Targaryen
Viserys I Targaryen (portrayed by Paddy Considine), known posthumously as "Viserys the Peaceful", is the fifth King of the Seven Kingdoms. He is the grandson of the previous King Jaehaerys the Conciliator and the husband of Queen Aemma Arryn and later Queen Alicent Hightower. He is the father of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and the short-lived Prince Baelon Targaryen through his first wife, Aemma, and of King Aegon II, Queen Helaena, Prince Aemond, and Prince Daeron Targaryen through his second wife, Alicent. He was a dragonrider who was bonded to the dragon Balerion until he died of old age. He was among the candidates to succeed his grandfather as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms and during the Great Council at Harrenhal he was chosen as heir over his older cousin Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, despite her better claim to the Iron Throne. Nine years later, he held the Heir's Tournament to celebrate the birth of his son Baelon, but due to a difficult pregnancy, Viserys decided to sacrifice his wife Aemma by ordering Grand Maester Mellos to perform a C-section on her to ensure that Viserys gets a male heir, causing Aemma's death while Baelon dies anyway hours later. He then makes his only surviving child, Rhaenyra, his heir, a position previously held by his younger brother Prince Daemon Targaryen, and informs her of King Aegon the Conqueror's dream regarding the "Prince That Was Promised". He also cuts his finger on the Iron Throne, which, while seemingly innocent at first, would develop into a far worse infection over time. Still seeking a male heir, Viserys goes against the Small Council's recommendation that he marry Lady Laena Velaryon, the young daughter of Lord Corlys Velaryon, and soon marries Alicent who gives him a son, but Viserys decides to keep Rhaenyra as his heir anyway. He organizes a royal hunt on Aegon's second nameday while actively ignoring the ongoing War for the Stepstones and seeks to make a powerful alliance by marrying off Rhaenyra so she can have children to secure his bloodline further. To maintain ties with the wealthy House Velaryon, he and Corlys arrange a marriage between Corlys' son Ser Laenor Velaryon and Rhaenyra, repairing the rift between the Velaryons and House Targaryen. Ten years later, the cut that Viserys received from the Iron Throne began to take its toll, and Viserys became increasingly weak as the years passed and began suffering from a form of leprosy. To continue fulfilling his role as king, he began taking the powerful opiate milk of the poppy while opposing political factions formed under Rhaenyra and Alicent that Viserys was unable to stop from spiraling out of control. Six years later, as his body deteriorated and he struggled to walk, the Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower now fulfilled most of Viserys' royal duties. Viserys holds a final family gathering, bringing his children and closest allies together in an attempt to stop any further conflict between them. While it was seemingly a success, he soon became delirious and bedridden, and with his dying words he mistakes Alicent for Rhaenyra and rambles on about the "Prince That Was Promised", but Alicent mistakenly believes that he was telling her that he wanted their son Aegon on the throne. Viserys soon dies from his illness, and the Small Council enacts a long-held plan to make Aegon the new king, despite Rhaenyra still being the chosen heir, reigniting the feud between Rhaenyra and Alicent's factions that eventually escalates into civil war.
In season 2, he appears during Daemon's mysterious visions while staying in Harrenhal.
Daemon Targaryen
Daemon Targaryen (portrayed by Matt Smith), also known as the "Rogue Prince" for his unpredictable behavior, is the younger brother of King Viserys I Targaryen and the husband of Lady Rhea Royce, Lady Laena Velaryon, and later his niece Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. He is the father of Lady Baela Targaryen and Lady Rhaena Targaryen through his second wife Laena, and Prince Aegon "the Younger", Prince Viserys, and the stillborn Princess Visenya Targaryen through his third wife Rhaenyra. He is a dragonrider who is bonded to the dragon Caraxes and wields the Valyrian steel sword "Dark Sister". While he was the heir to the Iron Throne, he was considered unfit to rule by the Small Council due to his reluctance to be involved with politics and his brutal methods of dispensing justice as the Commander of the City Watch. Following the death of Queen Aemma Arryn and her infant son Prince Baelon Targaryen, Viserys disinherits Daemon after he mockingly referred to the deceased Baelon as the "heir for a day". Viserys then names his daughter Rhaenyra as the new heir, so Daemon and his lover Mysaria leave King's Landing and occupy Dragonstone. Daemon later steals the deceased Baelon's dragon egg simply to get his brother's attention by lying about it being for an unborn child of Mysaria, resulting in Rhaenyra retrieving the egg peacefully and Mysaria leaving Daemon after realizing he was just using her. After Viserys refuses to confront the threat of the Triarchy, Lord Corlys Velaryon requests Daemon's help in the War for the Stepstones. After a three-year campaign, Daemon kills the leader of the Triarchy, Craghas Drahar, during the climactic Siege of Bloodstone, winning the war, and is bestowed the title of "King of the Narrow Sea". Daemon soon returns to King's Landing and kneels before Viserys and abdicates his crown, claiming Viserys as the one true king. After discovering that Rhaenyra needs a husband, Daemon takes her into the streets of King's Landing at night, where he seduces her but is unable to consummate their affair. When Viserys is informed of Daemon's exploits, believing that his brother still sought the Iron Throne, he orders Daemon to return to his estranged wife Rhea. Daemon then travels to the Vale and murders his wife so that he can marry Rhaenyra. However, Rhaenyra is soon married to Ser Laenor Velaryon as part of a political alliance with Corlys, but Daemon manages to get the attention of and later marries Laena. Ten years later, Daemon, Laena, and their daughters live in Pentos until Laena suffers from prolonged labor during her third pregnancy and commits suicide. Daemon attends her funeral at Driftmark where he reunites with Rhaenyra who proposes marriage to strengthen her claim to the Iron Throne but cannot marry with Laenor still alive. Daemon then conspires with Laenor's lover Ser Qarl Correy to fake Laenor's death so he and Qarl can run away together, allowing Daemon and Rhaenyra to get married. Six years later, he attends Ser Vaemond Velaryon's petition to the Iron Throne to name him the heir to Driftmark. After Vaemond publicly insults Rhaenyra and declares that her children are illegitimate, Daemon decapitates him in response. Following the death of Viserys and King Aegon II Targaryen usurping the throne, Rhaenyra gives birth to the stillborn Princess Visenya Targaryen, and at the funeral, Daemon crowns Rhaenyra as the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.