House of the Dragon cast reveal what Rhys Ifans would do to make them break character
One actor said Ifans sometimes had to be removed from set because he was too distractingly funny
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Before Rhys Ifans was Otto Hightower, the conniving hand of the king in HBO’s House of the Dragon, he was Hugh Grant’s eccentric, barely-dressed roommate in Notting Hill.
While the Welsh actor’s character in the Game of Thrones prequel is much more serious, it seems he’s lost none of the comedic talents that made him such a hit in Grant’s 1999 rom-com.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1, the cast of HotD discussed the methods Ifans would use to make them break down in laughter during scenes.
“He didn’t need to [say anything],” Rhaenyra Targaryen actor Milly Alcock tells host Ali Plumb. “Rhys Ifans has a certain twinkle under his eye.”
Emily Carey, who plays Ifans’s daughter Alicent Hightower, interjects: “It’s just a look he gives you! Or he nudges, he loves doing that in scenes. If something goes slightly wrong he’ll just start nudging.”
”Tell you who he moves like,” Alcock says, “the Grinch”.
The interview then turns to Fabien Frankel (Ser Criston Cole), who says that Ifans would “scream obscenities on your close-ups so that you would uncontrollably laugh during your takes”.
So distracting was Ifans that Frankel says sometimes the directors would have to ask the actor to leave the set so that the rest of the cast could finish shooting.
House of the Dragon continues in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Mondays at 2am, before repeating at 9pm later that day.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments