In “House of the Dragon”, Matthew Needham brilliantly plays Lord Larys, whose silences are as disturbing as his penetrating gaze. AlloCiné spoke with the British actor during the broadcast of season 2.
“Matthew is a real chameleon. He brings a very interesting and unpredictable energy to Lord Larys. And I like that in an actor, when you feel like you’re on guard. You don’t really know where they’re going to lead the scene. So you can only react and respond. And I think Alice also feels helpless in front of him. So it was intense to shoot those scenes. But in reality, he’s the most charming man in the. world”.
House of the Dragon: Was it really worth the two-year wait?
This is how Olivia Cooke, aka Alicent Hightower, introduces her partner Matthew Needham, who plays the disturbing and manipulative Lord Larys “Clubfoot” Strong, master of the bees in the Red Keep in House of the Dragon. Two hundred years before the Master of Whisperers Lord Varys and the treacherous Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, he is the one who controls information and acts in the shadows according to the interests of the “Greens”… or his own. On the occasion of the broadcast of season 2 on Max, we met the British comedian. Without spoilers.
AlloCiné: You are considered the “creepy guy” of House of the Dragon, the most uncomfortable character in the series. And maybe even of everything we’ve seen of Westeros. How do you experience it?
Matthew Needham : Alright ! If so, that means what we are proposing is working. This suits me very well.
HBO
The “feet” scene at the end of season 1, where we discover your character’s fetishism and the power it exerts over Alicent, had a big impact on the audience. What memories do you have of it?
This scene was filmed halfway through production of the first season. When the scripts came, 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 just remember thinking it was a really crazy scene. It’s crazy, because this man is almost some kind of terrorist at first. He burns an entire castle, all the same! So it has this negative impact on a pretty large scale, and then you also see it have a damaging effect on a very small scale. By terrorizing someone in a very personal, very subtle way, without contact or violence, without even raising your voice… And it’s almost as horrible and upsetting as his crime. It’s really crazy and strange, and credit to Sarah Hess (the producer and screenwriter, editor’s note). She’s brilliant and twisted. She’s awesome.
HBO
The universe of Westeros is known for its shocking actions. Do we sometimes think that his character goes too far?
There is never anything that goes “too far”. I mean, it’s House of the Dragon ! There is no red line. Everything Lord Larys does has a reason, and it is the same as for the other characters: to try to survive. That is what is so interesting about this series. We are all kind of rats trying to gnaw through the bars of our cage…
He is a character who speaks little and listens a lot, but who is nevertheless extremely present in all the scenes in which he appears. How did you approach the role?
Since no one invites him to speak, he listens. He grew up listening, being silent and really observing. But how do you make that active on screen? There’s an American show dedicated to couples therapy, I don’t know if you have that kind of program in France. You see real couples undergoing therapy with this New York analyst, Dr. Orna Guralnik. She is the perfect embodiment of an active listener. Her quality of listening is very impressive. You really have the impression that she absorbs absolutely everything from the person she’s talking to. I found it very inspiring to know how to make, as you say, someone who says nothing be in some way active. She was a great source of inspiration.
HBO
And there is the penetrating gaze of Lord Larys, who seems to see through people, especially Alicent. How did you work on this?
Just imagine having the person you hate the most in the world in front of you. And imagine doing the worst things to them. And you immediately get that look. Looking at others while thinking of someone you hate and to whom a horrible thing is happening. That’s all. (Laughs).
The character’s body language, which is completely twisted, is also very interesting. Is this a posture that you keep throughout the shooting day to stay in the energy of Lord Larys?
No, I can’t stay in this posture for too long. I twist my leg for certain shots, and it ends up hurting my hip too much. It’s really not good to stay like this for too long. I originally requested that some sort of shoe be made to do the job for me, sort of. But in the end, I’m glad I didn’t do it and did it myself because I think it would bother me even more to have a prop. But I’m careful because we only have one body. You have to take care of it.
HBO
This Season 2 promotion is all about #TeamGreen vs. #TeamBlack. You’re on #TeamGreen -or maybe you’re playing for your own side- but do you ever think #TeamBlack is right?
This is difficult to answer, because both camps have their reasons. On the one hand, there is this very conservative approach, with the male heir. And on the other hand, change. But can we change millennia of history with the decision of a single person? Can the King have the power 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 at the same time the craziest! There is this dichotomy between tradition and madness. This is probably why I like #TeamGreen. But if you’re #TeamBlack (he looks up to the sky with a smile, Editor’s note)I can understand. I don’t judge.
Interview conducted in Paris on Friday, June 7, 2024
Episodes of season 2 of House of the Dragon can be found every Monday exclusively on the new streaming platform Max
