King Aegon is alive! Though he was burned alive by his younger brother’s dragon episode fourThe eldest Targaryen son survives. The Dragon Housefifth part of “Regent”, reveals that Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is not dead after falling in battle. Instead, he is charred and so badly injured he can barely speak, and the maesters have to cut away his armor in front of Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).
This means Aegon is out of action for a while, and we’re deprived of Glynn-Carney’s stellar performance of a character who could have easily become a one-note villain like Game Of Thrones“Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). The actor imbues Aegon with a much-needed complexity, ranging from comic relief to heartbreak. The AV Club spoke to Glynn-Carney about developing the role in season two, how he sees Aegon’s mindset now, and the turning point in his journey.
The AV Club: Knowing what was going to happen to Aegon in episodes four and five, how did you want to portray his state of mind before he decided to ride into battle on Sunfyre’s back? What were the conflicting emotions that you wanted to take the time to depict?
Tom Glynn-Carney: I think the point was to show that he was pushed to the limit in a way that he had never been before. He had been painfully reminded of his greatest insecurity, that he was seen as weak and useless. Alicent told him that bluntly. So I think he felt backed into a corner and thought that was the only thing he could do. At least that’s how I justified his actions. And in doing so, he realizes that he’s not naturally a warrior. He doesn’t have that courageous, fearless mentality that some of the other characters have. So he needs something to numb his fear and he gets really drunk and does it.
Stroke: How much of a burden do you think it is on Aegon to follow in his father’s footsteps?
TGC: Viserys (Paddy Considine) was the only positive male character in the series. Not necessarily positive for Aegon, but at least for the masses, that’s what he experienced. I think seeing the way the common people reacted to Viserys as he was growing up showed Aegon that his father was a good king, well-liked and respected. He built good, healthy relationships with the people, so I really think that’s something Aegon wants to emulate. You see that in the first episode. But you realize very quickly that Aegon is not Viserys. He’s a completely different beast who has to play to his strengths.
AVC: In episode 4, Aegon fights Meleys and Rhaenys, then feels relief when Aemond appears, and that quickly turns to fear. How did you experience portraying that area in such a short space of time? What discussions did you have with Alan Taylor about your performance in that episode?
TGC: Yeah, like you said, there wasn’t a lot of time. We liked the key points of the moments that we wanted to bring to life and what had to be a priority. Yes, he sees his brother coming to Vhagar and the goal is to show that Aegon thinks it’s to save him. But the melee continues because that’s how dragons are and that’s how the fight is. There’s no escaping that fire and everything that’s coming for Aegon. Of course, people can make their own decisions about what Aemond’s intentions are, that’s something to consider. We also didn’t want to give a complete answer to that. We talked a lot about those moments, especially the fear in Aegon’s eyes, but also how determined he is to prove himself.
AVC: Episode five reveals that he is alive but badly burned. There is only one line, which is “Mom”. It feels very vulnerable and understandable that he regresses to this childlike state and calls for his mother.
TGC: Exactly. He’s completely disfigured. He can’t breathe, see, or speak. I’m sure we’d all be regressing to being children.
AVC: What was it like playing this version of Aegon now and how long did it take to get into character in terms of makeup and prosthetics?
TGC: Sure, there’s less acting, but I didn’t feel like I was doing less work or doing anything else. The makeup took a lot of time, especially in the beginning. It took me seven hours and we gradually reduced that time. It’s always a long time, and I was also wearing this armor all day. Luckily, I had a great team around me who were very accommodating, helpful and encouraging. It was great when it could have been more difficult, let’s put it that way.
AVC: A key scene for Aegon is when he fires Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) who was his Hand. Do you think that marked a turning point in how he saw himself as a leader? Will he regret doing it now?
CG: I don’t think he regrets it because Otto was limiting and filtering Aegon. He was putting the brakes on all the time, he was like a handbrake. And as soon as that happened, he kind of broke free. He felt like he could make progress even if it wasn’t an immediate success. So no, I don’t think he regrets it. It’s also a turning point, because I think he finds strength in it. You really see him becoming the king and using his power. He’s been in the same room with Otto many times and knows that he’s one of the most powerful people. That status changes at that moment for Aegon. I find that very empowering because here’s this person who is the patriarch of the family and he’s just reduced to a little boy who has to take off his badge and give it to someone else.
AVC: What’s it like working with Ewan Mitchell, especially as the sibling rivalry between Aegon and Aemond comes to a head this season?
TGC: Oh yeah, I love Ewan. He’s great, it’s always a pleasure to do scary scenes with him. We both get into it and take it seriously when we’re living these characters, but it’s a lot of fun. As for the brotherly bond, everyone thinks Aegon is tearing Aemond apart, but he also calls him out in the little council meeting (in Valyrian). It’s the same thing. It’s also bullying. So what happens in that scene in the brothel, for example, if you walk in and find your brother there, you’re not going to say, “Sorry guys, I’m going to leave you alone.” You’re going to make fun of him too.
AVC: You’ve already said that you watched the entirety of Game Of Thrones in three weeks once you receive the HOT role. Did watching it influence your performance in this series?
TGC: No, I find it dangerous, in that you can try to reproduce a model that has already been defined by someone else. The beauty of a series like ours is that we have a lot of actors who participate in it with new ideas. And we don’t make Game Of Thrones Even though it’s part of the same world. It’s a completely different show. What’s great to see this season is that the new characters and the people who work there are coming in with their own opinions and making brave and bold choices. It’s a multi-layered and colorful show.
AVC: You’ve managed to bring more depth to Aegon this season, and it’s easy to feel bad for him sometimes. How does it feel to be able to develop his complexities so that he’s not a one-sided villain?
TGC: It’s great to be able to spend more time with a character because you get to know them better and your choices become more informed. Aegon feels more alive now because I’m approaching him with more depth and investigation. A lot of that work has been done. So yeah, it’s great because the character kind of becomes a part of you. After all, you’ve played him for so long. Aegon has more responsibility this time around, so I like riding the wave of where they’re going. It’s great that he’s a central character in the story, even now after episode five.