“They really have this stillness”: Finn Bennett praises Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith & Emilia Clarke’s Targaryen portrayal

Finn Bennett may be playing one of the most unsettling Targaryens to appear on screen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in the form of prince Aerion Targaryen. But when it comes to the legacy of House Targaryen, the actor is full of admiration for those who came before him.

Bennett recently spoke to Vulture about how previous Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon actors shaped his understanding of what it means to play a Targaryen. In particular, he praised Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, and Emilia Clarke for a shared quality he sees as central to the dynasty’s screen presence: stillness.

Quick read:

• Finn Bennett praises Targaryen portrayal in previous shows.
• He calls Daenerys stoic, Daemon and Rhaenyra still.
• Bennett wanted his Targaryen portrayal to stand out.

Finn Bennett calls Targaryens in previous shows “stoic”

According to Bennett, those performances helped define how Targaryens carry themselves; not through constant movement or grand gestures, but through restraint. He described Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen as “f**king stoic,” while noting that both D’Arcy and Smith bring a quiet, controlled intensity to their roles. That calm, he says, is part of what makes their characters feel powerful.

In his words,

“What I found that those actors do so beautifully is they’re very stoic and still. Like, Emilia Clarke is so f**king stoic, and Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy really have this stillness.”

While Finn Bennett drew inspiration from that approach, he knew his character needed something different.

Unlike the composed rulers and would-be rulers audiences have seen before, Aerion Targaryen is restless, volatile, and desperate to prove himself.

How Finn Bennett made Aerion unique

Bennett explained that when he tried to replicate that traditional Targaryen stillness, it didn’t feel right for the character. Instead, he leaned into something sharper and more erratic, making Aerion feel angry, impatient, and constantly on edge.

“I’m quite jerky, and I was trying that out in the mirror, and I’m going this isn’t really working for me, so how can I do something a bit different? And I landed on something a bit more spiky with Aerion.”

This choice fits the Targaryen prince’s place in the story. Set at a time when the Targaryens no longer hold absolute power, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shows a family beginning to feel its grip slipping. For Finn Bennett, that insecurity is key to understanding Aerion’s cruelty. He isn’t just violent for the sake of it; he’s calculated, aware of his status, and eager to inspire fear where respect no longer comes naturally.

Credits: HBO

Bennett also pointed to Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones as a reference point, another character who believed something had been taken from him and responded with bitterness and rage. Like Viserys, Aerion sees the world as owing him something, and every slight feels personal.

Even Aerion Targaryen’s appearance was shaped with that mindset in mind. Bennett noted that the show made bold choices with Targaryen looks this time around. They moved away from long, flowing hair toward sharper, more practical styles. Once the wig was in place, Bennett said it immediately helped him slip into Aerion’s mindset, leaning into the character’s arrogance and hostility.

Ultimately, Bennett sees Aerion as a contrast to the Targaryens audiences are used to, less regal, less controlled, and far more dangerous because of it. By taking inspiration from D’Arcy, Smith, and Clarke’s stillness, and then deliberately moving away from it, Bennett carved out a version of a Targaryen who feels unstable, angry, and unpredictable.

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