“Nothing goes far, this is the home of the dragon!” : Meeting Lord Larry, the most awkward character in the Game of Thrones universe

“Matthew is a real chameleon. He brings a very interesting and unpredictable energy to Lord Larris. I like that in an actor when you feel like you’re on your toes. You don’t know where they’re going. So you can only react..

That’s how Olivia Cooke, aka Alicent Hightower, introduces her partner Matthew Needham, who plays the annoying and manipulative Lord Larry “Clubfoot” Strong, master of the bees at the Red Keep in the Dragon’s home. From Master of the Two Hundred Whispers Lord Varys to the wily Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, he is the one who controls the information and acts in the interests of the shadowy “Greens”… or his own. We met the British actress on the 2nd season of Max. No spoilers.

AlloCiné: You’re considered the “scary guy” of Dragon House, the most awkward character in the series. And maybe everything we’ve seen of Westeros. How do you experience it?

Matthew Needham: Good! If so, that means what we’re suggesting is working. It suits me very well.

The “leg” scene at the end of Season 1, where we discover your character’s fetish and the power it exerts on Alicent, made a huge impression on viewers. What memories do you have of him?

This scene was filmed halfway through the production of the first season. When the scripts came in, I remember thinking it was really crazy. The proposal, on the page, was slightly different from what we shot and what was selected. But I remember thinking it was a really crazy scene. It’s crazy because this person is almost some kind of terrorist to begin with. He burns the whole castle, that’s all! So it has this negative effect on a fairly large scale, and then you also see that it has a detrimental effect on a very small scale. Bullying someone in a very personal, very subtle way, without contact or violence, without even making a sound… and that’s almost as scary and disturbing as his crime. It’s really crazy and weird and thanks to Sarah Hess (Producer and Screenwriter, Editor’s Note). It is shiny and twisted. It is extraordinary.

The world of Westeros is known for its shocking actions. Do we sometimes think her character goes too far?

There is never anything that goes “too far”. I mean, it is Dragon House ! There is no red line. Everything Lord Larris does has a reason, and it’s the same as the other characters: trying to survive. Here’s what’s interesting about this series. We are all like rats trying to break the bars of their cages…

He is a character who speaks little and listens a lot, yet is extremely present in every scene he appears in. How did you approach the role?

As no one invites him to speak, he listens. He grew up listening, quietly and truly observing. But how to activate it on the screen? There is an American program dedicated to couples therapy, I don’t know if you have such a program in France. We see real couples in therapy with New York analyst Dr. Orna Guralnik. He is the epitome of an active listener. Its listening quality is very impressive. You really get the impression that he is absorbing absolutely everything from the person he is talking to. It was very inspiring for me to know how to make it active, as you say, without someone saying anything being active in some way. He was a great source of inspiration.

And there’s Lord Larris’ piercing gaze that seems to see through people, especially Alicent. How did you work on it?

Imagine that you have in front of you the person you hate the most in the world. And imagine doing the worst things to them. And you get that look right away. You look at others when you think about the person you hate and who is having a horrible experience. That’s all. (laughs).

Also very interesting is the character’s body language, which is completely twisted. Is this the pose you maintain throughout the day of the shoot to stay in the energy of Lord Larris?

No, I can’t stay in this position for long. I twist my leg for a certain shot and it hurts too much in my thigh. It’s really not good to stay that long. I originally requested that some shoes be made for me to do the job. But in the end, I’m glad I didn’t do it and did it myself because I think having a prop would have made me even more nervous. But I am careful because we only have one body. You have to take care of it.

This season 2 promotion is based on #TeamGreen vs. #black team. Are you part of #TeamGreen – or maybe you play for your own team – but sometimes you feel like #TeamBlack is right?

This is difficult to answer because both camps have their reasons. On the one hand, there is this very conservative approach to the male heir. And on the other hand, change. But can one man’s decision change a millennium of history? Does the king have the right to decide to put his daughter on the throne? There are arguments on both sides, but #TeamGreen is interesting because they are the most conservative… and the craziest at the same time! There is this dichotomy between tradition and madness. Maybe that’s why I like #TeamGreen. But if you’re #TeamBlack (He looks up at the sky with a smile, editor’s note), I understand. I will not judge.

The comments were collected in Paris on Friday, June 7, 2024

House of the Dragon season 2 episodes can be seen every Monday exclusively on the new streaming platform Max