House of the Dragon made its long-awaited appearance, but specific viewers have expressed dislike over the diversity presented in the world of Westeros. The main target of the unwarranted criticism is 57-year-old British actor Steve Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon in the new prequel series. Toussaint is not oblivious to the feelings specific viewers have over his casting, but he remains unfazed by the criticism.

In an interview with Men's Health, Toussaint discussed the criticism that surfaced due to his casting in House of the Dragon. During the interview, Toussaint noted that people of color are an integral part of history that cannot be ignored or overlooked.

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"It seems to be very hard for people to swallow," expressed Toussaint. "And as you said, 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." As stated, Toussaint portrays Lord Corlys Velaryon in the new HBO prequel series, who is the head of House Velaryon and the husband of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, played by Eve Best. The character comes from the George R. R. Martin book Fire & Blood, but the character's race is never distinctively mentioned. Of course, character adaptations are far from perfect, but to say Toussaint's casting is unrealistic ignores the fantastical elements many viewers find believable in a fictional world.

Despite the unwarranted criticism, Toussaint sees the positive impact of his casting and has decided to relish in that. "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," expressed the House of the Dragon star. "Even when we were doing certain scenes, there would be supporting artists who would come up and go, 'It's great to have this representation.'"

House of the Dragon had a record-breaking premiere, accumulating almost 10 million viewers to become the highest series premiere in HBO history. So naturally, audiences have been clamoring for the return of Game of Thrones material, but it'll be interesting to see how the series stacks up against Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which will be arriving shortly on September 2nd.

House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 PM EST on HBO and HBO Max.

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Source: Men's Health