In the character of Viserys, Considine saw an opportunity to showcase the depth of his talent. The first season of the series delves into 20 years of power struggles and betrayal within the Targaryen dynasty. Viserys must defend his decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir to the Iron Throne, despite opposition from his younger brother and his children from his second wife. Complicating matters further, Rhaenyra’s children are born from an illicit affair, a scandal that Viserys refuses to acknowledge.
However, it was not just Viserys’ physical decline that attracted Considine to the role. It was the character’s virtues and the opportunity to portray a dignified and uncorrupted figure in a ruthless world that truly captivated him. Considine relished the chance to bring out the conflicts and the humanity within Viserys.
In an interview, Considine revealed some of his favorite moments from the season, discussing the emotional depth of the scenes and his personal connections to them. He expressed his readiness to embrace the role at the right time in his career and emphasized his sense of responsibility towards the character.
Regarding Viserys’ physical transformation, Considine explained how the gradual deterioration was portrayed on screen, with each episode revealing further signs of his illness. The actor drew from personal experiences of witnessing illness and his mother’s struggle with diabetes, finding parallels in Viserys’ story.
