Actor Finn Bennett, who portrays Prince Aegon Targaryen on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, recently sat down for a candid interview with Vulture. In the interview, he revealed what drew him to his character and why it is indeed a rare opportunity to be included into the Game of Thrones universe.
Starting off, Bennett admits that having steady work always matters. Acting jobs don’t come easily, and landing a role this big felt really special. But beyond that, his character of Aerion Targaryen stood out as a real challenge.
He admits that Aerion Targaryen is not an easy character to explain or defend. He said that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is told almost entirely through Ser Duncan the Tall’s point of view. Because of that, the audience will never truly get inside Aerion’s head.
He points out how there are no quiet moments where Aerion gets to reflect on his choices. There’s no scene of him justifying his actions to himself. Everything the audience learns about him comes from what he does, not what he says. That limitation according to him, shaped Bennett’s performance. Without inner monologues or explanations, he had to express Aerion’s mindset through behavior alone. Sometimes that means his intentions won’t fully come across, and Bennett thinks that’s part of the point.
Prince Aerion Targaryen, otherwise known as Aerion Brightflame, was infamous for his cruelty and arrogance, rumored to dabble in the black arts.
His actions further cemented House Targaryen’s reputation for madness. #AKnightOfTheSevenKingdom ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/onlyy8emMs
— westerosies #AKOTSK (@westerosies) October 10, 2025
To understand Aerion, Bennett also looked at where the story sits in Westerosi history. This is a time when the Targaryens are starting to lose their grip on power. A rebellion is coming, and the dynasty no longer feels untouchable. For Aerion, that loss is humiliating. Hence, Bennett explains how the Ashford tourney feels like an insult to him. He believes his family is above events like these and being there only makes him feel smaller.
At the start of episode 3, Aerion is bored and frustrated. He doesn’t want to be at the tourney at all. Then Dunk steps in, and everything changes. Suddenly, Aerion sees an opening. He uses the chaos as a chance to do something big and violent. Something that forces people to fear him.
Bennett describes Aerion as cruel and vain, but not careless. He believes Aerion is very calculated. Every act of brutality is meant to send a message about power and dominance.
In his words,
“So that’s what drew me to it, is that he’s absolutely vain and cruel, but I actually think he’s very calculated.”
That’s also why point of view matters so much. Bennett also compares Aerion to Jaime Lannister. Without spending time inside Jaime’s head, Jaime might have stayed a pure villain forever. The same applies to Aerion. Because the story never follows his inner life, he might remain dangerous and unsettling. The audience is never going to get invited to sympathize with him.
Bennett says the Lannister siblings are some of his favorite characters for that reason. Each of them eventually faces a reckoning as their arcs are clear and complete.
Aerion, however, exists before any reckoning arrives. He is trapped in entitlement, insecurity, and fading power. That tension is what made the role so compelling for Bennett. For him, Aerion isn’t just evil for shock value. He’s a product of a dynasty in decline. And that makes his violence feel deliberate and terrifying
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