In a new interview with Nerdist, actor Abubakar Salim revealed that the long gaps between seasons of House of the Dragon sometimes leave him struggling to remember where his character Alyn of Hull left off. Laughing about the challenge, Salim admitted that he occasionally has to rewatch episodes to remind himself of past events. Still, he finds the downtime refreshing, allowing him to enjoy the series as a fan before stepping back into Westeros.
Quick read
- Salim says he sometimes forgets past seasons.
- He re‑watches episodes to recenter himself.
- Finds the gap “refreshing” and enjoys watching as a fan.
Forgetting the details
Salim confessed that the time between seasons can be disorienting: “Okay, where am I? What happened? Who am I again? How did I perform this scene?” he laughed. He explained that while it’s tough to recall everything, the ability to stream past episodes makes it easier to catch up.
Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO
Finding joy in the gap
Despite the challenge, Salim sees value in the downtime: “There is also something really quite refreshing about having that space and gap to reflect and take and enjoy the season that comes out,” he said. He added that he enjoys sitting back and watching the series with everyone else, treating it as a fresh experience each time. But there is also an enjoyment of being like, “Oh yeah, I can sit back and watch this series and enjoy it with everyone ….
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Soundtrack as anchor
Rather than relying solely on rewatching, Salim uses music to reconnect with his character. He builds playlists of tracks from The Northman, House of the Dragon, and Elden Ring, which help him find Alyn’s inner cadence and emotional tone.
Read next: “It’s frightening”: Abubakar Salim on realizing how big of a role Alyn plays in House of the Dragon
