Who is Eve Best? Meet the actress who plays Princess Rhaenys Velaryon in House of the Dragon

Actress Eve Best portrays the character of Princess Rhaenys Velaryon in House of the Dragon, HBO's much-anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones.

An acclaimed English actress, Eve Best has previously appeared in shows and films like The King's Speech and The Honourable Woman. She is also known for her prolific stage career and has won multiple Tony Award nominations for the same.

In the premiere episode of House of the Dragon, Best was introduced as Rhaenys Targaryen Velaryon, the granddaughter of Jaehaerys I Targaryen and the wife of Lord Corlys Velaryon.

Without further ado, read on to find out more details about actress Eve Best, who essays the role of Rhaenys in House of the Dragon.

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Who is Eve Best? Exploring the actor's early life and some of her memorable roles

Eve Best was born on July 31, 1971, in Ladbroke Grove, London. She reportedly got into acting at a very early age, and performed with the W11 opera in London when she was only 9 years old. She graduated from Oxford, following which she worked in theater for quite a few years.

Eve Best has received widespread critical acclaim for her performances in numerous plays over the years, including Hedda Gabler, and revivals of A Moon for the Misbegotten, and The Homecoming.

For her performance in Hedda Gabler, she received the Laurence Olivier Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress. She also received nominations for the Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards for her performances in A Moon for the Misbegotten and The Homecoming.

Among TV audiences, Eve Best is widely known for her performance in the role of Dr. Eleanor O'Hara in Showtime's popular medical comedy show, Nurse Jackie. Viewers also recignise her as Monica Chatwin from BBC's acclaimed political drama series, The Honourable Woman.

That apart, she has also appeared in shows like Vital Signs, Stan Lee's Lucky Man, Fate: The Winx Saga, and many more.

Best also essayed the character of Wallis Simpson in Tom Hooper's critically acclaimed historical drama film, The King's Speech. Her other feature and short film credits include Someone You Love, The Lodge, and Brilliant.

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A quick look at Eve Best's role in House of the Dragon, and more details about the show

In House of the Dragon, Best essays the role of Rhaenys Targaryen Velaryon.

Known as ''The Queen Who Never Was,'' Rhaenys was expected to take over as Queen following the death of her father. But her grandfather went on to name Rhaenys' uncle as his heir. After her uncle's death, Rhaenys' first cousin, Viserys, took over as the king. The character's description on HBO further reveals that she is a mother to two kids, Laena and Laenor.

Set around two centuries prior to the events that took place in the Game of Thrones storyline, House of the Dragon provides more contextual depth as it covers the devastating Targaryen civil war. Here's HBO's official synopsis of the series:

''The reign of House Targaryen begins: House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, is here. Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series, which is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, tells the story of House Targaryen.''

With the first episode introducing the characters and establishing the story's central conflict, viewers can expect an eventful second episode that is set to air on August 28, 2022.

The show stars several prominent actors in pivotal roles, key among them being Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Steve Toussaint, Emma D'Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Olivia Cooke, and Emily Carey.

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The first episode of House of the Dragon is now streaming on HBO Max.