House of the Dragon star Archie Barnes talks stepping up as Oscar Tully

House of the Dragon star Archie Barnes talks stepping up as Oscar Tully

As a dedicated fan who’s spent countless hours immersed in the intricate world of Westeros, I must say that Archie Barnes’ portrayal of young Lord Oscar Tully has truly stolen my heart in the latest episodes of House of the Dragon. His transformation from a vulnerable boy to a confident and assertive leader is nothing short of captivating.


In the recently aired “The Red Sowing” episode of House of the Dragon, Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith) seizes control of Harrenhal and attempts to rally an army, but his efforts backfire. The lords in the Riverlands express their displeasure over Daemon’s alliance with Willem Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones), a member of House Blackwood who had previously committed war crimes against House Bracken. In this latest installment, young Lord Paramount of the Trident, Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), demonstrates his leadership by ordering Daemon to execute Willem, sending a clear message that he will not tolerate such actions.

In an interview with Polygon, Barnes stated, “This is the first time I’ve taken on a role that wasn’t a small, frightened character.” Previously, the 18-year-old actor had portrayed a string of young characters who were delicate, vulnerable, and innocent, such as the son whose father was killed in The Batman. “I didn’t find many characters or actors resembling Oscar that I could compare this role to, as I couldn’t think of any similar ones.”

As a gamer, let me tell you about Oscar. He’s not your typical tiny, innocent character. Players have been praising him for his boldness in standing up against Daemon and asserting his authority at such a young age. People even compare him to Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones! In the big Riverlords meeting at Harrenhal, I had to play Oscar as subtly as possible. You see, he needs to be confident, given that he’s in front of all his rivermen. He’s not just a lord now, but he understands that he can’t keep acting like a small boy anymore. He has to grow up and take on this role, make decisions, and act accordingly. That’s what I tried to portray when playing Oscar.

We discussed and talked about how over time, Oscar Tully understands what he has to do, and how he needs to take action into his own hands, and he kind of flips the switch from going from that vulnerable little boy into that kind of powerful figure.

In the upcoming seasons, Oscar Tully is expected to participate in a conflict called “The Dance of the Dragons.” This prolonged battle may keep Archie Barnes around for longer. It’s possible that we might catch another glimpse of him when the finale of House of the Dragon season 2 airs on HBO and Max this coming Sunday, August 4th.

In the novel “Fire & Blood”, it seems that the character Oscar’s brother, Kermit, is not featured in the series. Interestingly, his grandfather was named Grover, which might hint at a connection to the Muppets universe. Furthermore, similar to many characters on “House of the Dragon”, Oscar has relatives who are familiar faces from “Game of Thrones”.

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2024-07-31 19:42

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