What 'House of the Dragon' Actors Look Like in Real Life (2024)

House of the Dragon marks a grand return to the world of Games of Thrones. It follows the Targaryen family as they descend into civil war—called the "Dance of the Dragons"—over who should succeed King Viserys on the Iron Throne. (If you want spoilers, here's the show is based on.) Like in the original series, the Targaryens sport their signature platinum blonde hair, but what do the actors who portray the dragon-riding family look like in real life?

Here, take a look at what all the main characters from House of the Dragon look like out of their costumes and on the red carpet.

British actress Olivia Cooke portrays Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra's former best friend and the second wife of King Viserys. If she looks familiar, Cooke has previously appeared in numerous other projects over the years including Bates Motel, Vanity Fair, Slow Horses, Ready Player One and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

Barbadian British actor Steve Toussaint has been performing since 1994, but his biggest role to date is playing Lord Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon. Lord Corlys, a.k.a. "the Sea Snake," is a famous nautical adventurer, and his house is one of the richest in Westeros.

Eve Best was cast as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider and Lord Corlys Velaryon's wife. Rhaenys is called "The Queen Who Never Was," because she was passed over as heir to the throne. Viserys, her cousin, was chosen to lead simply because he was a man. You may recognize Best as Dr. Eleanor O'Hara on Nurse Jackie, or from playing Wallis Simpson in The King's Speech.

Welsh actor Rhys Ifans has appeared films as varied as Notting Hill, the Harry Potter films, and The Amazing Spider-Man. Now, he takes on a major TV role in House of the Dragon as the Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower, whose daughter, Alicent, becomes one of the most powerful women in Westeros.

Ser Criston Cole, portrayed by British actor Fabien Frankel, has no titles or land to his name. Yet, he is a skilled swordsman who has a complicated relationship with both Rhaenyra and Alicent. Frankel previously appeared in Last Christmas and the TV show The Serpent.

Following the death of his father Viserys, Aegon II sits on the Iron Throne as the Targaryens descend into civil war. He's played by Tom Glynn-Carney, whose biggest role before House of the Dragon was Dunkirk.

Aegon II's younger brother, Aemond, set off the conflict between the Greens and the Balcks after his dragon killed Rhaenyra's son Lucerys. Aemond is played by British actor Ewan Mitchell, who has also appeared in The Halcyon, The Last Kingdom, and Saltburn.

Phia Saban takes on the role of Helaena Targaryen, the wife and sister of Aegon II. She can see into the future, though she doesn't often understand her visions.

Rhaenyra's eldest son, Jacaerys a.k.a. "Jace," has a bigger role in season two as he journeys to Winterfell to gain their support. Harry Collett began his career as a child actor on the West End, and has since appeared in BBC drama Casualty.

Matthew Needham plays one of Alicent's spies, Larys, and you may recognize him from shows such as Casualty or Sanditon.

Abubakar Salim, who previously starred in Assassin's Creed Origins, joins House of the Dragon season two as Alyn. Per a character description, "Alyn, from the Driftmark island Hull, is a skilled sailor who ends up playing an important role in the Dance of Dragons, along with his younger brother Addam."

Baela Targaryen, the daughter of Daemon Targaryen and the late Laena Velaryon, rides the dragon Moondancer. She's played by Bethany Antonia, who also starred in Netflix's Stay Close.

Japanese-born British actress Sonoya Mizuno, perhaps best known for Crazy Rich Asians and Ex Machina, plays Mysaria, "the most trusted—and most unlikely" ally of Prince Daemon.

Australian actress Milly Alco*ck plays a younger version of D'Arcy's Rhaenyra. Alock previously starred in Upright, an Australian drama, as a runaway teen.

Emily Carey plays a younger version of Cooke's Alicent. You may recognize them from Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé's "Baby It's Cold Outside" music video, or from playing a younger version of Gal Gadot's Diana in Wonder Woman. Carey also had a long-running role on the British medical drama Casualty.