A leading House Of The Dragon star has revealed that he was denied more than one role on Game Of Thrones, before bagging the top spot in the highly-anticipated prequel series.
Steve Toussaint plays the complex role of Corlys Velaryon – Lord of the Tides or ‘The Sea Snake’, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon.
However, the British actor, 59, could have appeared in the fantasy world of Westeros a lot sooner, because he auditioned for multiple roles in the original HBO series.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in December 2021, the star admitted that he auditioned for multiple parts on Game Of Thrones but never got booked.
He said: ‘I was just hardly ever seen for it. I ended up working with a girl called Jessica Henwick. I did a job with her.
A leading House Of The Dragon star has revealed that he was denied more than one role on Game Of Thrones, before bagging the top spot in the highly-anticipated prequel series
Steve Toussaint has admitted that he auditioned for multiple parts on Game Of Thrones but never got booked until getting his big break on the prequel
Steve plays the complex role of Corlys Velaryon – Lord of the Tides or ‘The Sea Snake’, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon
‘Now, in her section of the story [in Game Of Thrones], there’s her and there’s her sisters with the whips and stuff.
‘Then there’s her mother, who’s [played by] Indira Varma. And then there’s her uncle. Her uncle has a bodyguard. That was one of the roles I auditioned for.’
The actor is referring to Jessica Henwick’s character Nymeria Sand, one of the eight daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell, the Sand Snakes.
Indira Varma played Nymeria’s mother, Elleria Sand, the lover of of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, who is portrayed by Pedro Pascal.
The role that Steve had auditioned for is Areo Hotah, the captain of the household guard at Sunspear for the Prince of Dorne, Doran Martell.
Looking back on his audition, the House Of The Dragon star admitted that he is ‘glad’ he got his current role, rather than the original one he was gunning for.
The Game Of Thrones part of Areo Hotah ended up going to British actor and playwright Deobia Oparei, best known for his role as Gunner in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Steve’s role in House Of The Dragon sees him instead step into the shoes of the head of House Velaryon and the husband of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.
The British actor, 59, could have appeared in the fantasy world of Westeros a lot sooner, because he auditioned for multiple roles in the original HBO series (The cast of Game Of Thrones pictured above in 2015)
Steve (LEFT as Corlys Velaryon) auditioned for The Game Of Thrones part of Areo Hotah, but it ended up going to Deobia Oparei (RIGHT)
Steve’s role on House Of The Dragon sees him step into the shoes of the head of House Velaryon and the husband of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
Corlys is also the owner of the largest navy in the world of Westeros and made house Velaryon rich
Steve previous said: He’s unlike just about every other high-born man we meet as he’s a self-made man who’s seen about 14 battles’
Critics have given the season an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and those who have praised the show have done so for its gripping storytelling and monumental action that fans will see this season
Corlys is also the owner of the largest navy in the world of Westeros and made house Velaryon rich.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about his character in 2022, Steve said: He’s unlike just about every other high-born man we meet as he’s a self-made man who’s seen about 14 battles.
‘He made these legendary nine voyages when he was very young and made his fortune that way. Now he’s wealthy and he likes people to know it.’
It comes as the second season of the epic fantasy series is set to debut on Sunday June 16 at 9pm ET on HBO in the US, and on June 17 in the UK on Now TV and Sky Atlantic.
House Of The Dragon is set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 100 years after House Targaryen conquered all Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Critics have given the season an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and those who have praised the show have done so for its gripping storytelling and monumental action that fans will see this season.
The first season set the stage for the drama to come, centering on two young women – Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and her best friend Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey).
While the first season practically exclusively focused on House Targaryen, Season 2 introduces characters in Winterfell – home to House Stark – and other ‘smallfolk’ who live under the rule of the House of the Dragon.
