‘House Of The Dragon’ Stars Say Rhaenys And Corlys Have The ‘Healthiest’ Relationship On The Show

Are Rhaenys and Corlys on House of the Dragon relationship goals?

Steve Toussaint and Eve Best gave insight into the characters and their storyline this season in a recent interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act.

Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon, said that his character is in a different emotional space this season after weathering personal setbacks and family tragedy.

“I think the contrast between this season and last is that Season 1, for the most part of it…he was always on the front foot. He was always trying to find ways to secure the legacy of the family…despite the fact that his wife [would disagree],” he said. “This season, I think he’s more on the back foot. We meet him when he’s grieving [several family members’ deaths]…this relationship [with his wife] is not as strong as it was. If he’s honest, it’s through his own actions, frankly, because wife has always been a source of support. Now that they are facing choppy seas, it’s new territory for him.”

“I think what we will see this season is a much more emotional Sea Snake…But also there are scenes that Eve and I have…that give me a hint of what they were like when they first met,” he continued. “There’s a kind of playfulness in them…I watch them and I think, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a hint of who they were and if they weren’t in this ridiculous world–I still think they ware the most healthiest of the relationships, but they would be having more fun than they are…The only time when he’s truly honest is either at sea or with his wife. She’s the only person who knows who he truly is. To lose that or to even have that in danger is, I think, shocking for him.”

Best, who plays Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, talked about how her character still harbors resentment from being passed over as queen in her youth. Because of this, she wants to shield Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), the next heir to the throne, from the same fate. However, she’s also vastly suspicious of Rhaenyra because of Rhaenyra’s mysterious involvement with Rhaenys’ family tragedy.

“I feel like on the surface, on paper, she’s the rightful and legitimate heir…Rhaenys has been through those rituals before and has been so devastated and disappointed of not being chosen based on the grounds of being a women,” she said. “Feeling that strong sense of personal injustice, really feeling protective of the principle of Rhaenyra as a young woman, having been named as heir, it’s absolutely imperative that this history is changed…[and to] start operating from a different energy.”

Watch the full interview with the rest of the House of the Dragon cast above.