Spoiler warning for Season 1 of House of the Dragon ahead
In a really good melodrama, there is a morbid curiosity for us as fans to see how the villains use their wits to manipulate and gaslight their victims. Most notably in Game of Thrones, Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger played flawlessly by actor Aidan Gillen, was one of those villains who played the game of pitting political rivals against each other like a game of chess. There’s also Lord Varys, aka the Spider played by the brilliant Conleth Hill, known as the Master of Whispers. You can most certainly say that Lord Larys Strong (also known as the Master of Whisperers for Aegon II Targaryen) personality-wise is a combination of the two. Played with perfection by actor Matthew Needham, it is the sparse dialogue that makes this character so intriguing to watch on camera. His body language tells you more about his character than a one-page monologue. And how Lord Larys observes his environment by soaking up the room puts him at a competitive advantage over his unsuspecting prey.
However, according to Needham, that may change in season two. He states that Larys has to “work really hard” and that “not everything goes his way this season.” Needham adds, [Larys] thinks he’s in a position of safety, the board shifts and he has to shift with it and he has to scramble and adapt and improvise.”
The actor did mention it will be fun to play that dynamic of the character as Larys will encounter some obstacles this season. Last season, Larys was able to maneuver and worm his way through situations that brought him to a place a of power and privilege and he was willing to sacrifice anything (even his own brother) to do it.
As for what Larys’ fate will be in season 2 of House of the Dragon, that remains to be seen as we wait for the impending premiere of the series. Will Larys come out on top or will he suffer a similar fate that men in his position have been in?
You can watch the full interview with Matthew Needham and the cast here.
The premiere of House of the Dragon season 2 begins June 16th on HBO and will be available for streaming on MAX.
