As King Viserys’ extraordinary journey came to an end on HBO’s House of the Dragon on Disney+ Hotstar, actor Paddy Considine, who portrayed the charismatic character, took to Instagram to pen a final goodbye to his character and share some fascinating insight into his performance as Viserys.
Bringing layers of complexity and impact to the slowly dying character of King Viserys ever since the start of the series, Paddy won many hearts for his intriguing and significant performance. He thanked everyone who praised him and said, “Thank you for the kind words. I cannot reply to every comment, but I’d like to acknowledge that they haven’t been lost upon me. It was an incredible adventure where I made lots of new friends that will be with me for the rest of my life. I’d like to thank the creators for allowing me the freedom to make Viserys my own. I have never loved a character so much.”
He also revealed that Queen Aemma, played by Sian Brooke, changed the course of his character. “I want to give massive love and respect to Sian Brooke, who came in for only a few days but changed the course of my character with her brilliant performance and commitment to the work,” he wrote.
Aemma, who was Viserys’ first wife and his true love, passed away while giving birth in episode 1, and Paddy outlined how the moment was a turning point for his character’s arc.
“The impact stayed with me until my final improvised words. She unlocked the missing piece of the puzzle for me, and allowed my story to come full circle. From the moment she dies, so does Viserys. It was a love story. That’s the secret I carried with me. As sick as he gets, he never, himself, demands any cure. He quietly accepts his suffering, never forgiving himself for putting his beloved wife through such torture in her final moments. Viserys was a gift. I am so honoured he found me. Now, no more,” he added.
Set 200 years before the events that captivated global audiences in Game of Thrones, episode 8 of the series saw King Viserys’ dream to unite the Targaryen family come to light with his dying breath. The series is now two more episodes away from the season finale and we cannot wait to see what unfolds as the ultimate battle of power begins!
‘House of the Dragon’ is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.