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Tom Bennett talks Ulf White, the only character on House of the Dragon having any fun

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Tom Bennett talks Ulf White, the only character on House of the Dragon having any fun

As a massive fan of “House of the Dragon,” I was absolutely thrilled to see Ulf White, a lowly peasant, become one of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s dragon riders in last night’s episode. Ulf, played brilliantly by Tom Bennett, was just a barfly in King’s Landing, spinning tales of his Targaryen heritage for free drinks. But when faced with the real deal – a dragon selection trial – he was filled with doubt and fear.

In last night’s fresh episode of “House of the Dragon,” three commoners were bestowed with the honor of riding dragons in Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s elite air force: Addam of Hull was granted Seasmoke, Hugh Hammer formed a connection with Vermithor, and fortune favored Ulf White as the new rider for Silverwing.

Ulf and Hugh found themselves in a crucible situation, facing the dragon Vermithor amongst numerous other low-born Targaryen bastards. They hoped one of them would form a connection with the beast. Just a few days prior, Ulf lived as a regular patron in King’s Landing, boasting about his supposed Targaryen lineage for free drinks. However, when push came to shove, he began to doubt himself. “He ponders, ‘Many of these individuals appear more Targaryen than I,'” actor Tom Bennett shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m Ulf White, but my hair is more salt-and-pepper than white. Fear sets in. There comes a moment when you’ve been spreading this falsehood to secure a complimentary pint of Guinness, and now you must present yourself. And there’s a massive dragon standing before us. We all have a high probability of meeting our demise, and an alarming percentage will experience gruesome deaths.”

Although most dragonseeds perish in the process, Ulf manages to survive with Silverwing. “I think I’m going to be roasted alive and consumed,” Bennett remarked. “I take some hits and get shuffled around. But it turns out that Silverwing doesn’t intend to harm me. For some reason, she seems fond of me – perhaps it’s my scent or my Targaryen heritage – and she plays with me like a cat does with its prey. In the end, she acknowledges me as her rider.”

Dragons appear to have specific reasons for selecting their riders, but these motivations aren’t entirely understood. Seasmoke is drawn to Addam due to their resemblance to Addam’s half-brother Laenor Velaryon. Vermithor admires Hugh after he bravely stands up to the dragon, demonstrating no fear. Ulf seems content with Silverwing for reasons that are unclear, almost as if to say “Why not?”

Ulf White, formerly a penniless peasant known for his frequent visits to King’s Landing taverns and tall tales, astonishingly finds himself as a dragonrider. His transformation is remarkable; from the very bottom rung of society, a resident of Flea Bottom, to wielding immense power. The shift in his circumstances is colossal, leaving us curious about how he’ll navigate this new reality.

Ulf White is “one of the only characters that’s just having fun”

Ulf’s antics on “House of the Dragon” may not yet reveal their full scope, but for now, his lightheartedness adds a nice contrast to the show’s generally somber tone. The characters in “House of the Dragon” can be quite serious and gloomy, but Ulf seems to enjoy himself immensely while riding Silverwing through the skies above King’s Landing. I also appreciated his amused reaction when he discovered Silverwing wouldn’t cook him with a flash-fry.

Bennett shared, “I’m sure he found it hard to believe, and my reaction seemed only natural in the situation. When we both thought I was going to die, there was an overwhelming feeling of relief. I made that decision, and director Loni Peristere agreed with it.”

Because, let’s be honest, he’s one of the only characters in the show who ever smiles, let alone laughs. Every time I’m on set, I tried to use that. Ulf sticks out like a sore thumb for many reasons. One of which is I’m one of the only characters that’s just having fun.

Yes, please, bring some fun to this series! Ulf is my new favorite character until further notice.

Tom Bennett once auditioned for Game of Thrones

In certain aspects, Bennett’s acting career shares similarities with Ulf’s. After spending decades in the industry, Bennett is poised for greater recognition with his new role in “House of the Dragon,” leading to a surge in popularity. As Bennett put it, “Being on ‘House of the Dragon’ feels like a magical experience for me. It’s as if I’ve been an actor for 20 years, but never before have I worked on something as grand as this.”

Bennett once tried out for the role in “Game of Thrones,” presumably for season 3. He recalls auditioning to portray a jester-like guard who was relieving himself when suddenly attacked by a direwolf and devoured on screen. Although the part was intriguing, it only consisted of one scene. Now, he flies dragons instead as Ulf – perhaps it’s for the best that he didn’t land the former role.

It turned out well for us. This coming Sunday, find out what more Ulf will be up to in the last episode of “House of the Dragon” season 2 on HBO and Max.

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2024-07-29 20:42

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