Fabien Frankel recalls facing backlash on playing Criston Cole, calls it “weird”

Fabien Frankel opens up about his experience handling intense online backlash for portraying Criston Cole in House of the Dragon. The British actor’s portrayal of the Kingsguard knight turned villain has sparked passionate reactions from fans, leading to unprecedented levels of social media criticism. In a recent interview with Esquire, Frankel candidly discussed the emotional toll of becoming the target of viewer anger and how public perception of him shifted as the intensity grew.

Quick read:

• Frankel reveals impact of social-media backlash
• Audience empathy shifted for the actor
• The character’s betrayal provoked strong reactions

The Height of Social-Media Anger

During the second season of House of the Dragon, Fabien Frankel found himself at the center of an online storm. Playing a character who betrays fan-favorite Rhaenyra Targaryen, Frankel experienced what he describes as the peak of internet fury.

“Especially, too, when you’re a character who betrays the audience. You faced, really, the height of social-media anger during that second season,” he reflected. The intensity of the backlash was unlike anything he had previously encountered, with viewers directing their frustration with the character directly at the actor himself.

Moving from Blame to Empathy

What began as harsh criticism eventually transformed into something more nuanced. Frankel noticed a shift in how audiences responded to him as the situation escalated. “Oh yeah, dude, that was a whole moment. It was weird. And it’s funny, I feel like people’s opinions about the character, suddenly there was more empathy, if that makes sense. It wasn’t empathy for him; it was empathy for me, like, Oh, we don’t want this guy to feel like it’s his fault,” he explained in an interview with Esquire.

This evolution in audience perception highlights the complex relationship between actors and the characters they portray, particularly in beloved fantasy franchises where emotions run high.

Read next: Fabien Frankel believes Criston Cole wasn’t “ironed out” on House of the Dragon the right way