A recent rumor that Matt Smith may play Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon set off quite the discussion! Let’s hit some of the highlights:
Yesterday, we reported on a rumor (and it’s important to stress that that’s all it is at this point) that Doctor Who and The Crown veteran Matt Smith was being considered for the role of Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show. A couple of our tweets on the matter blew up right and proper, and fans had a lot to say about it.
This is hardly scientific, but we thought it’d be fun to highlight some of them. What do fans think of the idea of Matt Smith joining the Targaryen crew?
Good but not good for this
Daemon Targaryen is a swaggering, easily angered, sex-and-violence-loving member of House Targaryen who plays a key part in the Dance of the Dragons, the civil war at the center of HBO’s series. Frankly, I don’t see Smith in this role. I don’t think he really has the look — too lanky, not enough edge — and it’s just hard to see him as intimidating after watching him as the Eleventh Doctor and as Prince Philip on The Crown. Yes, Philip is kind of a jerk, but a genteel one, nothing like the wild, unpredictable Daemon.
There were plenty of folks who more or less took this perspective: Smith is a good actor, but probably not good for this part.
I am excited to have a doctor as one of the cast, but it seems like not a good fit? He is a WONDEFFUL actor, but is he right for the part? Can he be right for the part?
— ¯_(ツ)_/¯ (@greycat) December 3, 2020
I’d be happy for him to be part of the cast. Just not as Daemon.
— Selcan Hatun (@Empress_Kosem) December 3, 2020
He’s a good Actor and i like him a lot, but hes not Daemon Targaryen, AT ALL, maybe one of the Hightowers? https://t.co/dSThGHkuM2
— Winter (@rr_winterv) December 3, 2020
And this one I just found funny:
They make a man a blond prince consort on tv ONCE and he thinks he can play The Protector of the Realm Daemon Targaryen? https://t.co/DhQZFTynif
— fede misses daenerys 🤍 (@ladymultifandom) December 2, 2020
Others were a little more adamant that he’s not a good fit for the role:
i love matt smith but no pls no pls pls pls i already have a fixed image of daemon in my head and that image is NOT matt smith😭😭 https://t.co/NUJAwfDrcn
— bonnie (@pthysn) December 3, 2020
as in like……this daemon……are u srs https://t.co/5jhtFxjifw pic.twitter.com/tqzsYhGKe8
— esme (@wqnterfell) December 3, 2020
And that brings us into the vast majority of responses we got: people who hate this (possible) casting choice.
“I don’t want it.”
Most people did not want to see Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen and made no bones about it, even foreseeing an early doom for the series:
I’m feeling a pattern that hbo really hates game of thrones cause how you fuck up the last season, cancel the stark prequel quick (tbh no one wanted it) and have this amazing story of the targaryens and fuck up the storylines and characters before even airing??? https://t.co/qexDXn59UP
— Hello🐉Dany (@breakerofwheels) December 3, 2020
it’s over https://t.co/DmizRNO0Sf
— ofsonam. (@aegonerys) December 3, 2020
Sometimes all you need to express your displeasure is Jon Snow’s miserable face:
— Trey the Explainer (@Trey_Explainer) December 3, 2020
Jon’s words will do, too:
i don’t want it https://t.co/UI7ecQAy0n
— sarah adores micaela💫 (@PARKINSONSPOV) December 2, 2020
2020 strikes again?
Please lord have we not suffered enough this year https://t.co/F8FKn2cwQf
— 🧚🏾♀️ (@bookish_cactus) December 3, 2020
And now for a surprisingly popular criticism:
Matt Smith isn’t good-looking enough?
I have to admit: I was surprised how many fans ragged on Smith’s looks. I don’t think he’s physically right for the part, but I dunno if I’d go this far:
I mean, full offence to Mr. Smith, but weren’t the Targaryens characterized by physical beauty? This guy looks like a knock off of a knock off ken doll.
— Cetotherium (@Cetotherium) December 3, 2020
Some of the criticisms were fairly abstract:
Matt Smith looks like a carrot I cannot https://t.co/l2oiAuIRLT
— Mélian thee Maia (@MusingsHistory) December 2, 2020
he looks like a parallelogram 🙏🏽 https://t.co/WR9osWukR8
— omar🎄#SaveTheHollow (@omare_rdz) December 3, 2020
And so on:
Umm excuse me? No offense to this man but Daemon Targaryen is supposed to be sexy as hell… https://t.co/OzyDoM7hL2
— lou✨🎄 (@kikujumonji) December 3, 2020
there’s no way that a guy with no lips and no eyebrows is playing a targaryen https://t.co/4CoplyjkTZ
— a. (@nightinvasya) December 3, 2020
EXCUSE ME??? GET THAT TOAD AWAY!!! DAEMON IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THE SEXIEST TARG?? WTF IS MATT SMITH DOING HERE https://t.co/llvAsrxVty
— processing sky (@hypnosenrique) December 3, 2020
These are backhanded compliments at best:
What gave people in the quotes the idea that Targaryens have to be attractive. With their ±300 years of inbreeding? https://t.co/4daj8BqeiX
— Ra (@onceorbit) December 2, 2020
Shifting away from negatively for a second, a few fans pointed out that while he may not have the right look, acting chops will ultimately be more important:
Okay but I’m actually keen.
He’s a fantastic actor and thats far more important than satisfying the vanity of others. He’s v handsome, good man and I love him a lot okay? Okay. https://t.co/u3gNDkkgGc— 🔥𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱🦴 (@supportthechaos) December 3, 2020
So if not Smith for the part, than who? Actors from History’s Vikings were popular choices:
I nominate Travis Fimmel as Daemon Targaryen pic.twitter.com/woG1cduFbv
— Al-Kashnawee 🇳🇬 (@mustapha_dodo) December 3, 2020
Matt Smith when there are a bunch of @HistoryVikings actors out there who would do a much better job and would actually look the part? pic.twitter.com/rzo63fMx1J
— 🌨 (@sippinggummy) December 3, 2020
Okay, to end this on a happier note, there were some fans who were into the idea:
Go Matt Smith Go
Some positive takes on Smith on Daemon:
I don’t hate this but I don’t have a crush on Daemon, either. lol.
I think he’d nail the arrogance, tho. https://t.co/uU7mLpnkr2
— SLIMVP (@skinnyblackgirl) December 2, 2020
I love him. He’s a good actor and could pull it off I think.
— Robin 😷, Never Wanted to Leave (@tuesdaydreams) December 3, 2020
he’s a good actor so yess!!! https://t.co/tf567qRfK2
— 𝖎𝖓𝖉𝖆𝖍 𝖒 👑 (@indah13mlyn) December 3, 2020
this isnt a bad choice , i like this one i seen what he did with dr who and the crown he has a variety of acting abilities. so give the man his shot.
— LewisJelliott (@LewisJreddy_red) December 3, 2020
A Song of Ice and Fire luminary SerHunts made comparisons to another member of the Targaryen family:
For some fans, his inclusions would even make the series for them:
if they put him in game of thrones then im watching 🥰 https://t.co/gnaYSQwVIE
— anahat ✨ (@rindaanah) December 3, 2020
idk what this means but i will watch game of thrones if its true https://t.co/d5ywqlNytR
— ᕙJuneᕗ (@dykeIalisa) December 3, 2020
What do you all think? Is Matt Smith a good choice? Okay choice? Terrible choice?
Honestly, I sort of doubt they’ll end up going with Smith. Whoever they choose, it’s very possible we’ll know it soon:
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