Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), lord of politically expedient marriages, on House of the Dragon
Game of Thrones debuted before Hollywood had something of a reckoning on matters of diversity and representation, largely connected to the #OscarsSoWhite criticisms of 2015 and an industry-wide talk after George Floyd’s murder about how Hollywood portrayals contribute to negative stereotypes. When the show debuted, there was little attention paid to its the fact that its cast was mostly white. By the later seasons, as the show grew into a cultural phenomenon, people were much more critical of the show’s lack of diversity, and what they saw as the short shrift given to many characters of color. (Rest in peace, Missandei.)
House of the Dragon has more characters of color, particularly in House Velaryon, House Targaryen’s powerful counterpart. The leader of the house is Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), one of the wealthiest men in Westeros, who boasts the No. 1 fan-favorite silver-blonde wig on the show. The show has also focused on same-sex relationships more than Game of Thrones… though the main same-sex relationship we’ve seen so far didn’t end happily. Few relationships in Westeros do.
Given your evident fondness for twisty storytelling, may we also recommend this gallery of the 10 Best Films About A.I.?
Main image: Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) on Game of Thrones.
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