“You still have to achieve that ‘right'”: Finn Bennett on the high stakes of portraying a Targaryen

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms introduces the arrogant Targaryen prince, Aerion, in episode 2. Portraying a Targaryen comes with a weight few characters in Westeros can escape. True Detective: Night Country star Finn Bennett brings the controversial key figure to life in the series. In an interview, he reflected on the pressure of stepping into a role with a deeply established legacy and sky-high expectations attached to it.

Quick read:

• Finn Bennett talked about the pressure of portraying Aerion Targaryen.
• He believed that it was important to achieve the “right” with the character.
• Playing the uninhibited aspects of Aerion was interesting for Bennett.

Finn Bennett on taking on the notorious Aerion Targaryen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Aerion Targaryen is one of the most controversial characters in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, thanks to his twisted ways. He gives fans plenty to hate about him, and doing him justice was not an easy task. While speaking to Episode Magazine, Finn Bennett reflected on this.

He said, “It is a huge responsibility because the main series and previous projects have apparent successes. It is quite frightening because you’re putting a great amount of pressure on yourself to do it right. The good thing is you can shoot as much as you like within budget until you get it right, but you still have to achieve that ‘right.’”

Bennett also admitted that building Aerion was teamwork, from George R.R. Martin’s writing to the creative and costume team’s hard work, alongwith his own “finishing touches.”

Finn Bennett revealed what he found “fascinating” about portraying Aerion Targaryen

Aerion Targaryen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO (Image: HBO)

Elsewhere in the interview, Bennett addressed how Aerion justifies his arrogance through his own warped sense of entitlement. He said, “I think Aerion sees the current state of House Targaryen as a source of shame. He wants to remind everyone of who they truly are; of that old power and grandeur. And it’s precisely this urge to ‘remind’ people that comes across from the outside as something so strange, aggressive, and excessively arrogant. Playing those completely unrestrained aspects of him was genuinely fascinating.”

The British actor added that one of his biggest concerns was finding a way to put his own stamp on the character, likening the Game of Thrones universe to “Shakespeare’s history plays” that leave a lasting impression on audiences.

Read more: “What mark can I make?”: Finn Bennett on the challenge of playing Aerion Targaryen – Wiki of Thrones