House Of The Dragon has finally made its long awaited return to our screens after two long years, and if the season opener was anything to go by, we’re in for a pretty wild ride in the coming weeks.
Along with returning characters Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith and Olivia Cooke, the Game Of Thrones prequel has welcomed a host of new characters, as Westeros becomes embroiled in the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons.
But as more actors join the cast of House Of The Dragon, you may find yourself wondering where exactly you know them all from.
Well, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered…
Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor appeared as Cregan Stark in the opening scene of season two, episode one, playing the great-great-great-great-grandfather of Sean Bean’s character in Game Of Thrones.
If you thought he looked familiar, that’s probably because he made one of his earliest on-screen roles in Doctor Foster back in 2015, playing Suranne Jones and Bertie Carvel’s teenage son.
His other previous projects include the TV mini-series Us, with Tom Hollander, and Close To Me co-starring Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston.
Tom also appeared in Netflix’s 2023 rom-com Love at First Sight starring Haley Lu Richardson, in which he played Ben Hardy’s rowdy brother Luther. But his big breakthrough role was in the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey.
And, in another rather curious tangential connection to the Game Of Thrones universe, he also portrayed a young version of Sean Bean’s character Martin Odum in season two of 2014 crime drama Legends.
Abubakar Salim
Abubakar Salim joins House Of The Dragon as Alyn Of Hull, but he’s best known for starring as Father in the US sci-fi series Raised By Wolves between 2020 and 2022.
Before that, you might have seen him play Pedro in the historical drama series Jamestown, along with roles in shows like Fortitude, Informer and Spotless.
His biggest film credit so far is General Dumas in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix.
But maybe he’ll be more familiar to video game fans, as he also voices Bayek in the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Clinton Liberty
Playing Addam Of Hull in House Of The Dragon season two is Clinton Liberty, in his biggest role yet. However, it’s likely you last saw him appear as Kiernan in Normal People, a friend of Connell’s (Paul Mescal).
Besides that, he’s also been in the Sky festive movie This Is Christmas and the 2021 thriller series Red Election.
Freddie Fox
Freddie Fox has been on the rise in recent years, and now he’s set to star as Gwayne Hightower in House Of The Dragon. He recently played James “Spider” Webb in the hidden gem-turned-TV-favourite Slow Horses with Gary Oldman.
Going back further, he portrayed King Hugo in The Great Elle Fanning, Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark in season four of The Crown and Jeremy Bamber in the 2020 mini-series White House Farm.
Freddie is also indeed part of the Fox family that includes his sister Emilia and cousin Laurence Fox (he recently told The Independent that he “fundamentally and completely” opposes his relatives political views) .
Kieran Bew
Kieran Bew is set to appear as Hugh The Hammer in all eight episodes of House Of The Dragon season two.
He previously played Bill O’Hara in the martial arts crime drama Warrior from 2019 to 2023, and has also been in Liar, Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands, Silent Witness, Personal Affairs, Crusoe and The Bill.
Gayle Rankin
Fans of Netflix’s cancelled wrestling comedy-drama Glow will remember Gayle Rankin – who plays Alys Rivers in House Of The Dragon – as Sheila the She-Wolf.
Her previous film credits include appearing as Queen Victoria in The Greatest Showman and Pam in The Meyerowitz Stories.
You might have also seen her in TV shows like Perry Mason and Kindred.
Simon Russell Beale
Along with playing knight Simon Strong in House Of The Dragon, the actor is known for his Bafta-winning roles in 2013’s The Hollow Crown and 1998’s A Dance To The Music of Time.
But perhaps he’s better recognised among Penny Dreadful fans for playing Ferdinand Lyle in the horror series between 2014 and 2016.
More recently, he appeared in films like Dionysus in Thor: Love and Thunder, The Death Of Stalin and The Outfit, along with the TV series Mary & George opposite Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine.
Simon’s additional roles have included Mary Queen Of Scots, The Legend Of Tarzan, Into The Woods and The Deep Blue Sea.
Sam C. Wilson
Sam C. Wilson joins for one of the most infamous plotlines in House Of The Dragon, playing an assassin and guard named Blood.
His longest-running TV gig was portraying Bill Sykes in the family comedy-drama Dodger, along with other roles in The Responder, Hanna and Doctors.
Mark Stobbart
Completing the aforementioned murderous plotline as the aptly named castle rat-catcher Cheese, Line Of Duty vXiewers will remember watching Mark play detective Neil Twyler in the hit police drama.
He’s also been in The Silence, Vera, Doctors and 55 Degrees North.
Tom Bennett
Before he was cast as Ulf The White in House Of The Dragon, Tom Bennett played Christopher in the British sitcom PhoneShop from 2009 to 2013.
His biggest film credit, though, is playing Elton John’s stepfather Fred in the musical biopic Rocketman starring Taron Egerton.
Other previous credits include After Life, Brassic, Eastenders, Doctors and Family Free, and the 2016 film Love & Friendship starring Kate Beckinsale.