House Of The Dragon: George RR Martin Thinks Paddy Considine's Viserys Is Better Than Book Version

gamerant.com:

House of the Dragon has provided audiences with some excellent performances. One of the standouts this season has unquestionably been Paddy Considine's performance as Viserys, and it seems George R.R. Martin was more than pleased with Considine's turn on the show.

House of the Dragonwas somewhat more dynamic in its presentation of King Viserys than the source material. Fire & Blood was written as a historical document with multiple sources. As such, the House of the Dragon characters and their motivations are more open to interpretation. When it came time to adapt the novel for the screen, however, there could only be one interpretation of the character. At times maddeningly frustrating and indecisive, while at others honorable and caring for his family, Viserys was explored more deeply in the series than in the novel.

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In an interview with GQ, Considine revealed that House of the Dragon author and series creator Martin was impressed with his portrayal of the character. Considine said that Martin's response to his acting as Viserys was laconic but meaningful. “I got a text message that simply said: ‘Your Viserys is better than my Viserys’," Considine recalled. «It was from George RR Martin. And I thought: that’ll do it. Thanks for trusting me.»

Considine has been one of the hidden gems in the show. Many fans expected him to die rather early on, and perhaps that would have been kinder to the character since Considine portrays the character as wasting away over a matter of years. Though he is one of the few members of House Targaryen who does not currently ride a dragon, he was the last rider of the greatest Targaryen dragon of all, Balerion, who died shortly