Bethany Antonia begged Ryan Condal to not change Baela’s story

As the season two finale of House of the Dragon unfolds, the Targaryen Greens and Blacks are on a collision course. Yet, amidst the mayhem of dragon fire, treachery, and fractured alliances, Jacaerys Velaryon and Lady Baela Targaryen have emerged as beacons of reason and loyalty. Their unwavering dedication to their values and loved ones has been a constant in a world of chaos. Harry Collett and Bethany Antonia, the actors who bring Jacaerys Velaryon and Princess Baela Targaryen to life discuss their characters’ level-headed approaches to the chaos.

Bethany Antonia staying true to the story

Bethany Antonia acknowledges the unique challenge of working on “House of the Dragon”, an adaptation that balances fidelity to the source material with creative liberties. Having read the book before her casting, she was aware of the original narrative arc for her character Baela. This knowledge leads her to frequently request that showrunner Ryan Condal remain faithful to the source material, eager to see the original story come to life on screen. In a recent interview with Forbes, she mentioned,

“Yeah! It’s really funny with this one because it is an adaptation of a book, but it’s the world of Game of Thrones and Ryan has the power to do anything. I had already started reading the book when I was auditioning for the show and I finished it before I had been offered the part, so I kind of like messed myself up there and I knew the plan for Baela. So everyday, I spend [time] just like begging Ryan Condal to not change things!”

Credit: Max

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The Death Call

Harry Collett shared that if an actor’s time on the show is coming to an end, they will be notified in advance. This means that they won’t find out unexpectedly during a cast script reading. Instead, showrunner Ryan Condal will personally reach out to them beforehand, in a call that Collett humorously referred to as “The Death Call”. This way, the actor can process the news privately, without having to navigate their emotions in a public setting.

 “I think somebody told me if your time on the show comes to an end, you will be told beforehand. It’s not like at the cast script reading, you’ll find out there and then, and you have to go through sadness with loads of people next to you. You’ll be told prior – I think Ryan told me that he calls it ‘The Death Call’ – you just see your phone buzzing and you’re like, No!”

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