Matt Smith has revealed that his time on Doctor Who helped to prepare him for the weight of expectation that comes with starring in new Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.
Smith – who famously played the Eleventh Doctor between 2010 and 2013 – takes on the key role of Daemon Targaryen in the new Westeros spin-off, starring alongside the likes of Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, and Emma D’Arcy.
And during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, he was asked if his years as the Doctor were good preparation in terms of the legacy associated with Game of Thrones and the likely fan response.
“Yeah, I think so,” he replied. “Probably, because you’ve experienced something similar and it’s a similar genre – not genre, but you know what I mean.
“And, you know, the expectation when you play the Doctor is quite daunting, and this, I’m sharing it with like 20 other actors.”
Asked if he had had any words of advice about appearing in such a mammoth franchise for his co-star Considine and the rest of the cast, he responded: “No, no, no. I would never presume!”
Meanwhile, Considine – who plays Daemon’s brother King Viserys – joked, “I’ll just be in hiding!”
The new series launches on Sky Atlantic and NOW this Monday, telling the story of House Targaryen 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Smith’s character Daemon is the younger brother to King Viserys and the current heir to the throne, and is described as “a peerless warrior and a dragon rider” who “possesses the true blood of the dragon”.
Additional reporting by Morgan Jeffery.
