House of the Dragon Star Hits Back At Racial Criticism
House of the Dragon has achieved a huge start, but one of its stars has received some racial criticism, leaving the actor to hit back perfectly.
This article is more than 2 years old
We sadly live in a world where racism is still rampant, especially among those hiding behind keyboards and their computer screens. The internet is ripe with “trolls” who do nothing but try and spew vitriol about stars that are cast in certain shows and films. That is what happened to Steve Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon. The actor responded perfectly to those who might say such horrendous things. Touissant was recently interviewed by Men’s Health, where he stated, “They are happy with a dragon flying. They’re happy with white hair and violet-colored eyes, but a rich Black guy? That’s beyond the pale.”
Toussaint is responding to his character’s status in House of the Dragon, as one of the council members that serves under King Viserys. Lord Corlys Velaryon is also known as “The Sea Snake” we would imagine this is because he might have a great navy at his disposal. Though there are some who have taken umbrage with Toussaint being cast in the part of Lord Corlys, it is never explicitly stated that the character is white in George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel. The character is described as having “fair skin” due to his ancestors being Valyrian. Also, he is stated to have “Targaryen-white blonde” hair, which he does.
Even though there are those who would say such horrible things about Steve Toussaint, he has stated that the negativity is far less than the positivity of people supporting his casting and character in House of the Dragon. According to Toussaint, “What has been wonderful is for every toxic person that has somehow found their way into my timeline, there have been so many others who have been so supportive and been like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t wait, this is going to be great!'” We would agree with the supportive folks, as he was already fantastic in the premiere. His acting prowess has led us to believe that he might make a play for the Iron Throne, which is all that is necessary to drive a great plot within the universe built by George R. R. Martin. Everyone is viable to try and attempt to backstab one another for a chance to rule the seven kingdoms.
There are certainly far more positive people watching House of the Dragon, as it has pulled in the biggest premiere in the history of HBO and HBO Max. Some 10 million households tuned in on the first day to see this Game of Thrones prequel. Even more exciting is that the series has already been greenlit for a second season, which we are just as excited for. The tone of the premiere makes it seem like we are getting back to the old style of what made Game of Thrones so successful. We can’t wait to see more, and we will now get even more with the second season being agreed to.
House of the Dragon has officially premiered its first episode, which everyone can stream on HBO Max right now. Each new episode of this 10-episode season will air on Sunday nights. For those who have not yet seen the dramatic premiere, there is a ton to love about this new prequel series, especially with Steve Toussaint’s performance. No matter what anyone does in this life, there will always be “haters.” However, we know that positivity will always outrank the unnecessary hatred of smaller minds.
