While Larys Strong only had a little bit of screen time during the first season of House of the Dragon, it’s hard to forget the smarmy character who is trying to gain as much power as possible by way of questionable actions. From manipulative conversations to intense acts of violence against his own family, people were aghast with some of the things Larys did, however, the moment that everyone talked about most was that foot fetish scene. Now, the actor behind the character is opening up about the fans’ response to that scene, and the future of Larys on the 2022 TV schedule smash hit.
Matthew Needham, who plays Larys Strong, opened up about the fans’ reactions to his foot fetish scene. The actor discussed how the public has interacted with him following HOTD’s first season, telling People:
I didn't know what to expect, but everyone who has come up to me has been really nice and positive. [Laughs.] There was this one usher who took my ticket for an event and said, ‘You've been a very naughty boy.’
While I’m happy people have been nice to the actor, I do think calling Larys a “naughty boy,” is a great way to describe the character. I know I was incredibly disturbed by many of his actions and was extremely uncomfortable watching that foot fetish scene. Based on fans’ reactions they were thinking along the same lines, and will probably have similar things to say about the character come Season 2, as he will likely be up to more manipulative madness.
Needham has openly talked about that infamous scene, and he recently explained that it’s not just a foot fetish, “it’s weirder than that.” The actor talked about what his character was thinking during the moment with Alicent Hightower at a Game of Thrones convention:
I don't think it's a foot fetish like we understand in 2022. I think it's weirder than that. It's not just about a man with a clubfoot being attracted to feet. It's that he can make her do it. This is a very disturbed person with a lot of trauma... It's about making her feel as much shame as she does for that part of her body as he does for his.
In the People article, Needham discussed the scene further explaining that it was a “power move,” and a “display of dominance.” The HOTD actor also talked about his character in a more general sense, saying:
He's a suggestive person, and I don't think we're meant to get the full picture of him just yet. He's not fully in focus yet. He does some completely twisted and insane things, so there's a lot to get your head around. I think he's a very strange person.
While there isn’t much we know about House of the Dragon’s second season, I think it’s safe to assume Larys will be back and creepy as ever as he tries to manipulate and weasel his way to winning the game of thrones. Fans have even already come up with wild theories about Larys Strong, and based on his increased impact on the show toward the end of Season 1, I think it’s safe to assume he’ll be a major player in Season 2, with creepy scenes and all.
We’ll likely have to wait quite a while to see what happens to Larys and the House of the Dragon characters next. However, while we wait for Season 2, you can check out Season 1 of the Game of Thrones prequel with an HBO Max subscription.
