House of the Dragon Most Heart-wrenching Scene Was Improvised
The recent episode of HBO's hit show House of the Dragon was a rollercoaster of emotions. The intimate scene between Daemon and Viserys has already been called one of the greatest moments in the entire franchise. Unbeknownst to viewers, that scene was born out of an accident.
In an interview with Complex, Paddy Considine, who plays Viserys, spilled the secret about the moment that tied the brothers' entire relationship together.
It Started with a Crown
Throughout the course of the show, it's quite obvious that Daemon has treated his brother horribly. However, upon Viserys' entrance during the debate scene, the room falls silent as sickness has visibly ravaged the ailing king. Hobbling lifelessly to the Iron Throne, he stumbles up a few steps, knocking his crown to the ground. His brother, in an unexpected act of respect, rushes to the king's side, retrieves his crown, and places it back atop his head.
This moment was no more than an accident that was too little to require stopping the shot. After filming had wrapped, Considine noted that he went to the director to express that it was "the moment" and to ensure she had captured it to the best of her abilities. The actor went on to talk about how these mishaps can produce some of the most poignant moments of the show.
These instances allow actors to dismantle the wall between real life and fantasy. They open the gates for the true emotions between co-stars to be broadcast to the world. House of the Dragon has taken this approach with the aim of retaining the absence of authenticity in modern television.
By the Powers that Be
Paddy Considine has stated that the allowance to shoot scenes "by the powers that be" results in a stronger storyline, something he says the original Game of Thrones began to lack in its later seasons. The show aims to follow the natural flow of the characters' development as opposed to cutting corners to achieve a specific story from beginning to end.
On the surface, it may seem like a loose or even informal approach to filming. But in essence, that's what art is all about. The freedom to create with the hopes of sparking an emotional response from those who witness it. It's an attitude that has fallen silent in western media. Scenes such as this stand as lasting proof that to create something truly remarkable, the creation must always remain linked to its creator.