How many great performances do the viewers need to see to start trusting the casting team?
While season 2 of House of the Dragon is still in the early stages of production, the fandom is getting tired of living off the crumbs of news they get.
This is why the sudden casting news that came out recently made so much noise and immediately became the central topic of discussion among fans.
Unfortunately, the discussion quickly turned from respectful to yet another bashing session.
While it’s hard to say how much of a role each character will play in season 2, considering that the showrunners have already made it clear that they’re willing to deviate from the books if necessary, many believe that each of them will play a major role.
Alys Rivers, who was announced to be portrayed by Gayle Rankin, was one of the characters Team Green was most excited to see.Needless to say, the reaction to her was the most intense one could imagine.
Alys was never described as extremely beautiful in the original source material of George R. R. Martin’s books, but it was the consensus of the fanbase that she charmed Aemond with her looks.
And that’s exactly where the House of the Dragon fandom starts to repeat the same toxic cycle they went through with the last casting announcements of Emma D’Arcy: they bash Gayle Rankin’s looks without giving her a chance to perform.
You’d think that in the XXI century we’d be as close to acceptance as we’ve ever been, but fans continue to struggle to get past the actor’s looks.
Emma D’Arcy has been vilified with hatred for their non-feminine appearance and the identity they proudly wear, as many felt they didn’t fit the standard of “the realm’s delight” written for Rhaenyra.
However, their amazing performance, along with an outstanding job by the hair and makeup department, have made them so much a part of the character that it’s hard to imagine Rhaenyra any other way.
Fans should brace themselves for a long ride on this casting matter, as there are many more characters to come whose casting decisions have not yet been announced.
Keep an eye out for more behind-the-scenes updates and news, or re-watch Season 1 of House of the Dragon on MAX.