It was Ewan Mitchell’s idea to be fully nude in Aemond’s brothel scene, says director Geeta Vasant Patel

Many scenes from House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 got fans all hyper and excited. From surprising cameos to Ewan Mitchell’s nude scenes, the episode welcomed viewers into the true authentic world of Westeros, unencumbered by shame and embarrassment.

Naturally, when we played the episode as it premiered, nothing could prepare us for the scene where Aegon II enters the whorehouse and pulls the curtains on a room where Aemond is laying with a whore.

While we already knew Aegon II was not fit to rule, House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 strengthened that belief. His stance on riding into battle changes multiple times in mere minutes, proving his cowardly disposition. However, to forget the mark of his unwillingness to battle, he gets drunk and goes to a whorehouse with his pals to get one of the new Knights acquainted with intimacy.

Director Geeta Vasant Patel talks about that nude scene featuring Ewan Mitchell

Credits: Max

There, he finds his brother Aemond in the arms of a whore in one of the rooms. The impactful scene leaves an indelible mark on the viewers as Aemond’s nakedness echoes his vulnerability and delicate state of mind in that scene. In episode 2 as well, we saw how Aemond leaves his mask of bravery outside the whorehouse and completely loses himself in his emotions whenever he’s with the brothel madam.

In a conversation with Variety, episode director Geeta Vasant Patel explains how she and actor Ewan Mitchell went through the scene together. They discovered how Aemond’s nakedness will transform shame into bravery as he doesn’t care who sees him in that state. As he leaves the bed, he puts on his armor, putting the mask of bravery and boldness back on. She further  revealed,

“Slowly he starts putting on his armor and when he stands up, the fact that he doesn’t care that you see his penis is such a strong visceral shift. And so, of course, Ewan was like, “I want to be fully nude in that moment. It’s important to me because that’s who my character is. That’s what he would do.” And that’s what we did.”

Showcasing full-frontal nudity is not an easy task for any actor. Yet, Mitchell embraced the scene with utmost dignity and authenticity. As an actor, he knew the demands of the role and delivered without hesitation. From knowing all the trivia answers to giving in to the requirements of the role, Mitchell is proving time and again why he’s one of the best actors on House of the Dragon presently.

Also Read: “He has a spring in his step,” says Tom Glynn-Carney about Aegon II in House of the Dragon season 2