Matt Smith reveals details about Daemon Targaryen's character in House of the Dragon season 2

House of the Dragon enters its much-anticipated second season, with Daemon Targaryen, brought to life by Matt Smith, being one of the central characters of the series. The series is a prequel to the mammoth hit Game of Thrones. It continues to unravel the complex and bloody history of House Targaryen. Season 2 is slated for release on June 16, 2024, premiering on Max.

In an interview with CBS Mornings aired on June 3, 2024, Matt Smith shared insights into the evolving psyche of his character, Daemon Targaryen, as the saga progresses into its second season. Smith described Daemon's transformation with poignant vividness, stating:

"He sort of tumbles into anonymity in a way. He gets softer, lazier, fatter, slower."

This season, directed by returning and new directors under the watchful eye of showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, promises to deepen the intricate tales of betrayal, power, and dragons that fans have come to adore.

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"He becomes more exposed"- Matt Smith on Daemon Targaryen's character in House of the Dragon season 2

In the same interview, Matt Smith added:

"He's sort of haunted by his demons, really, by ghosts, by apparitions, by his own sense—the weight of all the bad deeds that he's done really come home to roost, so to speak. And I think he becomes more exposed, really, in a way."

He particularly indicated Daemon Targaryen making a shift from the fierce and impulsive warrior seen in Season 1 to a character grappling with the consequences of his past actions. This, in turn, hints at a journey toward personal reckoning or downfall that could majorly alter Daemon Targaryen's role and effectiveness in the looming conflicts.

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Cast and characters of House of the Dragon season 2

House of the Dragon season 2 will feature a mix of familiar faces and some new entries. The ensemble cast continues with Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, alongside Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen. Other key returns include Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon.

New to the cast is Gayle Rankin, portraying Alys Rivers, who is a major addition given her character's mystical power and vision. Tom Taylor will appear as Cregan Stark, linking the narrative more closely with the legendary Stark family.

Additional cast include Freddie Fox, Simon Russell Beale, and Abubakar Salim where each of them is supposed to enrich the drama with fresh alliances and enmities.

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What fans should expect from House of the Dragon season 2?

Season 2 of House of the Dragon promises to take the intense Targaryen civil war to new heights, something that fans are really looking forward to. Since the show won’t be jumping ahead in time this season, viewers can expect a seamless continuation of the story, starting right where the explosive first season ended.

Fans can look forward to lots of high-energy drama, sneaky political moves, and epic dragon fights which are generally the things that make this series so exciting as the plot moves forward.

The story will keep a close eye on the Targaryen family while exploring how their relationships change and become more complicated as they vie for power.

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The season will have eight episodes and with each episode, fans will see old alliances questioned and new battles beginning, making the fight for control even more intense.