House of the Dragon has already revealed which actors and actresses are starring as the main characters in the Game of Thrones prequel. However, as Winter is Coming previously stated, like Thrones, House of the Dragon will involve many minor characters with smaller roles. In order to create a well-rounded, fulfilling story, the onscreen adaptation must pay close attention to them as well.
Earlier this week, we learned David Horovitch is rumored to be joining the cast. Although his role isn’t officially announced yet, there are at least three possible characters he could play (Bartimos Celtigar, Grand Maester Orwyle, or Lord Lyman Beesbury). Now, Redditors have discovered that the English actor Johnny Weldon’s Spotlight page lists House of the Dragon under his television credits, reports Winter is Coming. Weldon’s character is only listed as “Samwell.”
Of course, this Samwell does not refer to Samwell Tarly, one of the original characters from Game of Thrones. Winter is Coming states the only Samwell they suspect Weldon will play is Samwell Blackwood. This Samwell is the Head of House Blackwood during the time when the Dance of the Dragons takes place.
The Dance was a bloody civil war that led to members of House Targaryen warring with one another. This event took place over a hundred years before the events in Game of Thrones. The heart of the conflict lies with the death of King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine). His daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) believes she should ascend the throne. However, the king’s second wife Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) believes Viserys’s son Aegon is the rightful heir, despite him being younger than Rhaenyra.
During the Dance of the Dragons, the various Houses in Westeros all claim which side they will support, Winter is Coming explains. Samwell Blackwood pledges his support to Rhaenyra and fights against House Blackwood’s long-time rival: House Bracken. Blackwood’s son Benjicot and sister Alysanne “have bigger roles in the story” than Samwell Blackwood. However, there is no information regarding if we’ll even see these characters appear in the show or not.
Winter is Coming adds that it’s likely Weldon could play a younger version of Samwell Blackwood in the show. The actor is of medium-height and appears youthful and boyish. Samwell Blackwood once dueled for Rhaenyra’s favor when they were younger, so it’s possible that the House of the Dragon showrunners (Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik) will want to include this event in the show. The addition of Milly Alcock and Emily Carey (being cast as younger versions of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower respectively) already indicates we might see some flashbacks during House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon is expected to debut on HBO in 2022. It is based on George R.R. Martin’s fictional history Fire & Blood, an exceptional account about the reign of House Targaryen hundreds of years before the events in A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones.