Westeros power couple reveal their special ties to Australia
Two House of the Dragon stars have revealed their strong links to Australia, with one admitting they’re “desperate to go back”.
TV
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News.
If you think the chances of spotting a Targaryen on the streets of Sydney are slim then think again because a certain Westeros power couple have plans to head Down Under.
Eve Best and Steve Toussaint aka the Queen Who Never Was Rhaenys Targaryen and Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark Corlys Velaryon from House of the Dragon are both big fans of Australia.
Best has been a regular visitor to Sydney as her sister called the eastern suburbs home for many years.
Meanwhile Toussaint starred alongside Australia’s own Stephen Curry in miniseries Pine Gap which was filmed in Adelaide and Alice Springs.
Best is particularly envious of her work husband’s Australian resume, confirming she is on the hunt for a role in Oz.
“I would love that so much,” Best said.
“Please, please have me in Sydney!”
For Best, it’s the laid-back lifestyle of Australia that she craves the most.
She has fond memories of a time she was visiting her Sydney-based family while preparing for an audition.
“I remember there was some stress about needing to get a script delivered … everybody in London and New York were all sort of really stressy,” Best recalled.
“The agents and people were trying to organise the delivery and it was all sort of really high maintenance.
“And then at my sister’s house where I was staying rocked up, maybe a few days later, this dude with his surfer hair, no shoes, T-shirt literally just come off the beach.
“He kind of just threw the thing down and said ‘there ya go love’.
“It was just so cool.”
Toussaint has his own story of larrikinism to tell.
He’d just wrapped filming on Pine Gap, a drama centred around the secret central Australian US military facility of the same name, and decided to holiday in Sydney before returning to the northern hemisphere.
In telling this story, Toussaint adopts an Australian accent so impressive you’d swear it’s true blue.
“There was this barman and he said to me, ‘ya know what’s good after a long day?’” Toussaint said.
“So I said, ‘What’s that?’ ‘Cold drink of beer’.
“‘Do ya know what’s good for any problems in your life at all? Cold drink of beer’.
“And he became my friend. Such a great philosophy.”
Unfortunately, despite rave reviews and a legion of global fans, including legendary novelist Stephen King who tweeted about his love for the show, Pine Gap was not renewed for a second season.
Toussaint said if they ever changed their minds, he was in.
“It was amazing,” Toussaint said.
“It was one of those weird things where I thought, ‘this is a good, really intelligent show – wow you don’t get this very often’.
“But they didn’t go again.”
With HBO yet to confirm a third season of House of the Dragon, Best could well have the time to be snapped up by an Aussie production too.
It’s a prospect that entices her.
“You’ve got the sea and these unbelievably stunning beaches right on your doorstep. After work you just plop into this crystal clear water,” Best said.
“Everybody is out and I just love the fact it’s so health aware – everyone is out in the morning being with the ocean or running
“It just felt like such an energising, exciting almost just a on-the-cusp-of-things place.
“I adored it – I’m desperate to go back.”
House Of The Dragon Season Two is streaming on Binge, available on Hubbl, from June 17
FBoy Island’s season two hunks revealed
A new posse of FBoys and Nice Guys are ready to vie for the hearts of three single ladies when the new season premieres on August 5.
Best of TV and streaming this week
From a fun family remake of a 1980s classic to a documentary featuring Stormy Daniels’ account of her tryst with Donald Trump, these are the shows that you don’t want to miss this week.