Who is Matt Smith, the hypnotic Prince Targaryen who shines in House of the Dragon

game of Thrones it could be a double-edged sword House of the Dragon. Like any prequel, the new fiction was betting on bringing back those fans who were left wanting more. But, in the inevitable comparison with the most watched series in HBO history, too there was the risk of rejecting them.

With the Monday newspaper, it is clear that the original story played in favor of the spin-off: the first chapter was seen by almost 10 million viewers, historic record for a premium channel premiere and its HBO Max platform. The latter had over 2% audiences. Y there is already the smell of a new phenomenon.

There are many arguments to explain the rage about the house of the dragonbased on the novel fire and blood, from George RR Martin, and is found 200 years earlier from game of Throneswhen the Targaryens ruled and ruled Westeros with their dragons.

To the nostalgic effect is added the expectation of each new story and the latent one “Let’s see which character dies” as a background. One who appears to be far from the guillotine is a central figure who It’s already giving people something to talk about and emerging as a favorite.

is approx Targaryen demonplayed by British actor Matt Smith, one of those bad hypnotics who despite their egomania and certain perversion -or precisely because of this- he thickened his world of fans.

The brothers are not united

Daemon is the brother of King Viserys, who leads a stable and peaceful kingdom, but has difficulty finding a male successor. After the death of his wife, Viserys names his daughter heirPrincess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), the other great protagonist.

Uncle Daemon, prince of the royal house, respected military leader and commander of the Royal Guard, he showed more ambition than she did in occupying the Iron Throne and rules the Seven Kingdoms. He thinks Viserys is a weak political leader and lets him know.

When the king decides to exile his brother, the thief Daemon settles in the hometown of Dragonstone. But he takes the soldiers of the kingdom and stop teasing him when he steals a dragon egg.

“I love the relationship with his brother. He is a brilliant character, because you never know what he is thinking. I liked its ambiguity. There is a cruelty in his personality which I thought was really interesting to see the characters behave so badly, “Smith said of his character in an interview with The Hollywood reporter.

Between grandeur and madness

Daemon is impulsive, ambitious and bloodthirsty. We have already seen how in the first chapter he goes out with his battalion of “golden cloaks” on the streets a cut off the arms and limbs of criminals without mercy.

But, at the same time, he revealed a more sensitive and affectionate aspect precisely with his niece, Rhaenyra, whom he seems to respect for her thoughts and because, like him, she has Targaryen blood and he is encouraged to cross the skies riding dragons.

Daemon does this with Caraxes, an intimidating figure. “He’s grumpy, pungent, volatile, chaotic,” the actor told the magazine. rolling stone on the personality of the creature. Now you understand Smith also talked about Daemon’s traits: The Targaryen’s special bond with the fire-breathing beasts had already been shown by Daenerys with her Drogon in HAD..

In the universe of RR Martin, it is said that when a Targaryen is born, you flip a coin and greatness comes out on one side and madness on the other.

“I think for Daemon the coin is still in the air, it hasn’t even landed yet,” Smith said Clarione a few days ago.

“But I think, between that greatness and that madness, the show conveys that there is a sense of greatness in its way of governing, of being powerful; and he’s generous, but he’s also done violence, and I think he stays with the Targaryens. I think everyone has that, to some extent, “the actor added.

From frustrated footballer to theater actor

Born in Northampton, England, 39 years ago, Matthew Robert Smith wanted to be a professional footballer before he became an actor. He did inferior to Northampton Town U-11 and 12, to Nottingham Forest U-12, 13 and 14 and to Leicester City U-15 and 16, but a lumbar spondylosis forced him to hang up his boots.

A cousin of hers was the acting teacher at her school and signed him to perform in plays without his consent. Eventually she convinced him to participate in the school adaptation of Twelve men fighting and to join the “National Youth Theater” From London, forge of great actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley.

While studying acting and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, Matt starred in a number of plays with that national institution as Murder in the cathedral Y Fresh kills.

Then he jumped to the West End, the prestigious British commercial circuit, shining in the theatrical adaptation of Swimming with sharksalongside Christian Slater, and in the critically acclaimed film That facea play premiered in 2008 that crossed Broadway.

The young Doctor Who and the praised duke

at that height he had already made his television debut in the series Party animalsa BBC drama about parliamentary advisers and investigators in Westminster.

In 2010 he landed his role as a catapult: the BBC again entrusted him with the interpretation of the eleventh reincarnation of Doctor who –is the youngest actor to play the time-traveling alien-, in the UK’s most iconic science fiction story.

for industry it was not yet a star, but a promise. But Smith starred in the long-running series – which is still airing today – for three seasons and has been pointed out as the figure who exported the phenomenon Doctor who outside the British lands.

In addition to installing it as a recurring face, from Doctor who began to be in demand in the cinema. embodied the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe Already Charlie Manson in biopic paths. a few years earlier, played a supporting role in Terminator: Genesis.

I arrive his lauded portrait of Prince Philip of Edinburgh In the first two seasons of The crown (2016 and 2017). With the young Duke marrying Queen Elizabeth (Claire Foy) in the Netflix series, he won over audiences and received her only Emmy nomination so far.

Last year he worked on the dream thriller Last night in Soho, by Edgar Wright, which got good reviews. Y this year he entered the Marvel universe: was the co-star of Jared Leto in Morbio.

Although it is still early to predict the recognition of his Daemon Targaryen in the HBO series, there is a sense that the magnetic commander of the house of the dragon it will bring you many joys.