I just enjoyed reading the script for the first time and meeting this neglected, friendless, bullied boy who really never found a place in the family. It’s almost like a Lynne Ramsay film in that he was never really there. Even in episodes six and seven, he’s almost a wraith-like presence, floating between his family members. It’s tradition in Targaryen culture to place a dragon egg in the cradle of a newborn, which establishes a bond between the rider and the mount. There’s this dynamic that as the person grows, so does the hatchling.
For whatever reason, Aemond was denied that; he was always on the back foot. He’s able to identify with this dragon Vhagar, the oldest, grumpiest, biggest dragon. She’s named after the old Valyrian God of War and she’s a hardened survivor of over 100 battles. She’s enormous but also the loneliest. She’s so big she can’t fit within the confines of any castle wall, like Aemond. He doesn’t fit it anywhere, and so he identifies with her.
That story of standing in the face of adversity, showing courage and resilience – that really inspired me as an actor. Not only does he find his voice, but he also makes a friend. A character like Aemond never really felt that unconditional love from his family, but he’s found it in this dragon. What does that do? It changes him.