HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon has announced four new cast members for its second season. Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, Gayle Rankin and Abubakar Salim have boarded the fantasy series, which is currently shooting its second season.
Simon Russell Beale, a three-time Olivier Award-winning actor, will play Ser Simon Strong, Castellan of Harrenhal, and great-uncle to Lord Larys. Beale has previously appeared in movies like The Death of Stalin and The Deep Blue Sea, and he has also performed in various stage productions in the UK.
Freddie Fox, who has appeared in movies like The Three Musketeers and Victor Frankenstein, will portray Ser Gwayne Hightower, son of Otto Hightower, brother to Queen Alicent, and uncle to King Aegon, Queen Helaena, and Prince Aemond. Fox is also known for his roles in television shows like Cucumber and Year of the Rabbit.
Gayle Rankin, who played Sheila the She-Wolf in Netflix’s Glow, has been cast as Alys Rivers, a healer and resident of Harrenhal. Rankin has also appeared in movies like The Greatest Showman and Men.
Abubakar Salim, who lent his voice to the protagonist in the popular video game Assassin’s Creed: Origins, will play Alyn of Hull, a sailor in the Velaryon fleet who served in the Stepstones campaign. Salim has also appeared in TV shows like Raised by Wolves and Jamestown.
What you need to know about House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is set around 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and follows House Targaryen – the noble house of Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen from Thrones – as a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons breaks out between claimants to the Iron Throne.
Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan J. Condal served as co-showrunners on House of the Dragon season one. They also executive produced the season alongside George R. R. Martin. The series features a star-studded cast that includes Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Paddy Considine, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best and Sonoya Mizuno.
Every episode of House Of The Dragon is now available on HBO Max. Stay tuned for the latest news from the world of Game of Thrones and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!