House of the Dragon star exposes deleted wedding scene
House of the Dragon: HBO teases thrilling season finale
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The fifth episode of House of the Dragon established the new Game of Thrones prequel as a more-than-worthy successor to the original fantasy series with a Westeros wedding which quickly gets out of hand. After Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Milly Alcock) and Laenor Velaryon’s (Theo Nate) secret tryst about their marriage, Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) runs afoul of their plans and the ceremony ends with a horrific murder – but who exactly started the fight?
Young Laenor star Nate has since shed light on one of the biggest mysteries of House of the Dragon’s first season.
Before Rhaenyra’s wedding, the Targaryen Queen reveals to Laenor she knows he’s gay and is willing to have an open marriage, leaving him free to spend time with his lover Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) in secret.
Believing Criston to be the other man his bride is interested in, Joffrey lets him in on their secret arrangement at the pre-wedding banquet without knowing Rhaenyra had recently rejected him.
The knight is furious at what he interprets as an insult and Joffrey ends up beaten to death, although it’s still unclear who started the fight.
“When we shot it, there was a scene I don’t think made the edit,” Nate has now revealed.
“But, me and Solly, who plays Joffrey, we were standing outside and I think Daemon (Matt Smith) is saying to Rhaenyra, ‘Laenor fancies boys, he’s in love with Joffrey’.”
Tensions were already running high within the Targaryen clan as Laenor and Joffrey’s secret affair threatened to be exposed to the whole court.
Thankfully, Laenor eventually made it out alive with a new lover, Qarl Correy (Arty Froushan), but not until Joffrey had been beaten to a pulp.
Revealing more detail about the deleted scene, Nate continued: “I think that bit made it and you kind of get a pan, a side angle of Laenor and Joffrey standing there.
“Me and Solly are looking over towards Criston Cole. They had words beforehand, saying ‘I know about you, it is what it is’, kind of thing.”
While many fans assumed Criston snapped and made the first move, Nate actually claims the original script had Joffrey provoking the knight into violence.
“So Joffrey goes over to Criston Cole again and was just winding him up,” he recalled. “That’s what Joffrey does.”
Don’t miss…
The Blacklist’s Reddington issues warning as fan-favourite targeted [VIDEO]
1000lb Sisters’ Amy Slaton snubs Michael in first post since ‘split’ [LATEST]
Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough admits ‘music wasn’t my thing’ [EXCLUSIVE]
“He went over, and we were at the side. Laenor and Joffrey were saying, ‘Go dig the needle in a little bit. Wind him up, see what happens.’
“And the next thing a fight just breaks out. So, yeah, Joffrey started it.”
Although Criston may have swung the first punch, Nate claimed Joffrey was more to blame for the brawl than fans originally thought.
Their row ultimately culminates in one of the most gruesome scenes of the series, even by Game of Thrones standards.
Joffrey is thrown to the floor and, in a rage, Criston pummels his face until he’s completely mutilated.
Laenor is devastated and sobs over his lover’s dead body, though he still has to marry Rhaenyra at a private ceremony later the same night.
Rhaenyra’s secretive husband may have made it out of the first season of House of the Dragon alive, but fans can expect more unexpected twists and plenty of bloodshed when the fantasy prequel returns for season two.
House of the Dragon season 1 is available to stream on HBO Max in the USA and Sky Go and NOW in the UK.
Source: Read Full Article