The Dragonseeds: Hugh Hammer, Ulf White, and Addam of Hull represent one of the most fascinating new dynamics in House of the Dragon Season 3. These three lowborn characters are suddenly thrust into the world of dragons and highborn politics, each bringing vastly different personalities, ambitions, and inner conflicts.
In an interview with Nerdist, actors Kieran Bew (Hugh Hammer), Tom Bennett (Ulf White), and Clinton Liberty (Addam of Hull) opened up about the cultural and emotional clash between their characters’ humble origins and the volatile Targaryen bloodline.
Kieran Bew on Hugh Hammer: Suppressed Targaryen madness awakens
Credits: Max
Kieran Bew’s Hugh has always lived with a dangerous secret. As the son of Saera Targaryen (King Jaehaerys’ daughter), Hugh has known about his illegitimate heritage for years, but has spent most of his life rejecting it.
“I’ve always known I am directly connected to the family. I’ve been keeping that a secret. He’s denied it as well. So actually admitting it to his wife and using that as a reason to go and fulfill this task is a strange shift for him given that he’s rejected it for most of his life.”
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This internal denial makes Hugh’s arc particularly compelling. The actor notes that embracing his Targaryen side comes with a heavy price:
“Unfortunately, that means that Targaryen madness is waking up in someone who’s really been suppressing it. So for me as an actor, that’s really exciting because there’s an unpredictability to it. It’s quite fertile ground… The Targaryens are really fun. They’re f***ing mad, but they’re really fun.”
Hugh’s cool, laid-back exterior hides a growing storm. Viewers can expect a character who is difficult to read; someone whose true motivations and loyalties may shift dramatically as the dragon blood stirs within him.
Tom Bennett on Ulf White: From the Lowest of the low to dragonrider
Credit: HBO
Ulf White starts as perhaps the most unlikely dragonrider in Westeros. A man who has told tall tales of his Targaryen heritage for decades, Ulf suddenly finds those stories becoming reality with terrifying consequences.
“Ulf comes from nothing. He is the lowest of the low. He has told this story for 30 odd years that he’s part Targaryen. We’ve discussed, ‘Does he believe it? Did he ever believe it?’ Until it actually comes true and it’s, ‘Oh shit, I’ve got a dragon. All of this, it was all true.’”
Bennett highlights the dramatic power shift his character experiences:
“Now it all suddenly gets a bit scary, rocky ground and uneven footing. He comes from nothing and now is one of the most powerful people on the planet. It’s a real shift and a real dynamic, certainly for someone with a chip on his shoulder.”
Ulf’s journey is one of the most unpredictable in the season. The sudden elevation from gutter rat to dragonlord creates both opportunity and danger.
Clinton Liberty on Addam of Hull: The loyal commoner
Credit: HBO
While Hugh and Ulf wrestle with their inner demons and newfound power, Addam of Hull brings a different energy to the group. Portrayed by Clinton Liberty, Addam is more focused on duty, family, and proving himself.
“All of us coming from being commoners and coming from a normal background, we all want different things. But there’s conflict there because Addam’s trying to prove himself to the Queen and his family… Addam knows that we all need each other in order to increase our likelihood of survival.”
Unlike his fellow Dragonseeds, Addam appears more measured and team-oriented.
“Ulf is after something different… [Hugh] is kind of cool, laid back. You don’t really know what he’s after. You can’t quite read him. But all want something coming from a common background. It’s kind of trying to get at the same mission of pleasing the Queen and the royalty, but also getting what we all want in to be cohesive.”
Lowborn vs highborn Targaryen world
What makes the Dragonseeds storyline so compelling is the inherent culture clash. These are not highborn lords raised with tales of Valyrian greatness, they are blacksmiths, sailors, and smallfolk who have lived hard lives. Suddenly inheriting dragons forces them into a world of madness, prophecy, and politics.
The actors emphasize that each character’s lowborn background shapes their reaction to power: Hugh suppresses then confronts the madness inside,
Ulf swings from disbelief to dangerous overconfidence, and Addam seeks legitimacy and unity.
This mix of personalities guarantees friction, betrayal potential, and unexpected alliances as the Dance of the Dragons intensifies.
