“House of the Dragon” showrunner Ryan Condal is keeping his word on a past promise he made to fans: There will be five new dragons in Season 2.
“I said five and a half years ago, and I think I’m sticking to it. So five new ones that you haven’t seen before,” Condal said in a Monday press conference ahead of the HBO series’ upcoming premiere.
Star Emma D’Arcy also opened up about what it’s like to ride a dragon, calling the experience “horrendous.” The actor portrays Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, a dragonrider who rides Syrax.
“It’s exactly like riding a dragon in real life,” D’Arcy joked. “It’s desperately uncomfortable in armor. I kept shouting, ‘Bring me more cushions! Bring me more padding!’”
They further recalled being stuck in a particularly awkward position when a director yelled cut mid-dragon riding scene. “‘Is anyone gonna let me down? Let me down, please.’ It was horrendous,” D’Arcy recounted, before clarifying, “No, it wasn’t horrendous. It was amazing. I loved every second of it. I can’t wait to do more. I felt rather proud of myself that I came off it.”
Bethany Antonia, who plays Lady Baela Targaryen, also gave her opinion on riding the mythical creatures. A dragonrider who rides the young dragon Moondancer, Season 2 will mark the first time Antonia tackles this stunt. She revealed that production shows actors their dragons before they shoot, noting that the footage “obviously [has] a cartoon version of you.”
“You get on, and it’s like a bucking bronco,” Antonia said. “What made me laugh is that it always comes down to a guy with a wind machine. No matter how much budget you have, how much CGI, there’s always going to be a guy with a wind machine and you’re going to be upside down. It was just the most fun.”
The second season of the HBO hit will premiere on June 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season 2 is based on George R. R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” and will follow Westeros on the brink of a civil war as two leaders fight for their rightful place on the throne.
