'House of the Dragon' star turned down 'Game of Thrones' Because of Dragons

While the whole world was gushing about 'Game of Thrones ' whirlwind fantasy, at least one actor had enough of dislike for dragons to actually turn down an opportunity to star in what later became the biggest show on the planet. Yes, you've read that right: Paddy Considine, who now stars in 'Game of Thrones' prequel, was initially offered a part in HBO's hit series only to turn it down without even reading the script.

Talking to The Times ahead of 'House of the Dragon ' premiere, Paddy Considine admitted that he wasn't exactly a fan of everything dragons:

"He said, 'It's about dragons. I went, 'No thanks.' I didn't even read it."

The actor didn't change his mind even after 'Game of Thrones' became a global phenomenon, gathering an army of fans across the world and breaking almost every TV record there was. But eventually there came a moment where Considine actually got to experience 'Game of Thrones' firsthand: during the pandemic, while on lockdown, the actor watched the series with his wife – and finally admitted that those pesky dragons weren't all that bad after all.

In just a couple of weeks we'll get to see Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, who, according to George R. R. Martin books, ruled not only people but also dragons, gathering more than a dozen dragons under his command. 'House of the Dragon' is set to premiere on HBO Max on August 22, 2022.