Actress Phia Saban has been named the standout performer of House of the Dragon season three by Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets following the show's finale.
The evaluation ranked the primary cast members of the HBO fantasy drama after the penultimate season pushed the central conflict between the Blacks and the Greens to its extreme limit. According to the outlet, the massive production required its lead actors to work to exhaustion, resulting in performances that ranged from brilliant to steady.
While established stars maintained high standards across the latest episodes, other cast members revealed unexpected depth in roles that had previously struggled to connect with viewers.
House of the Dragon, created by Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, serves as a prequel series to Game of Thrones and chronicles the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. The third season focused heavily on the escalating war between Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's supporters and the faction backing King Aegon II Targaryen.
Saban claimed first place in the ranking for her portrayal of Helaena Targaryen, a complex role that presented an elevated level of difficulty due to the character's mental instability. The publication noted that television and film characters who are mentally unstable often risk evoking mere pity or laughter, citing Jack in the 2008 comedy film Tropic Thunder as an example of that tendency.
Truly nuanced portrayals that earn genuine sympathy remain rare, with Tom Hanks in the 1994 film Forrest Gump standing as a benchmark that few actors attempt to challenge. Saban took that risk and succeeded, delivering an organic and natural performance free of forced mannerisms or simulated madness.
In a series containing few figures that viewers naturally side with, Helaena emerged at the top of that short list despite the role being Saban's second television credit and a supporting part. Her narrative arc has now concluded, meaning any future appearances in the fourth season will be limited to visions, though the outlet expressed hope that the high-profile series will launch her career.
Rhaenyra Targaryen and the Demands of Power
Emma D'Arcy, who stars as central protagonist Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, shouldered immense responsibility and largely succeeded despite challenging script choices. The outlet argued that D'Arcy was often left with little meaningful material because writers stretched the storyline, imposing unusual creative challenges such as portraying menstrual discomfort.
However, D'Arcy delivered powerful work in the season's crucial dramatic moments, most notably during the execution of Otto Hightower and a major address delivered outside the Sept of Baelor. Both sequences placed Rhaenyra on the edge of despair, first when ordering the severe execution of her childhood friend's father to advance her claim to the throne.
During her speech at the temple, Rhaenyra bordered on rage as church authorities obstructed the power she views as her birthright, barely restraining dictatorial impulses while foreshadowing the eventual path of her descendant, Daenerys Stormborn. According to the review, D'Arcy's performance prevented the character from becoming villainous, allowing audiences to share her pain even as her methods grew increasingly ruthless.
Aegon II and Alicent Hightower Portrayals
Tom Glynn-Carney achieved a dramatic turn as King Aegon II Targaryen, a character who had generated little more than irritation across the preceding two seasons. Placed in new circumstances of physical devastation and emotional crisis, Glynn-Carney demonstrated refined acting skills previously displayed in Christopher Nolan's 2017 war drama Dunkirk.
Although the review criticized writers for wasting screen time by having Aegon wander through forests around a cart, the actor made his transformation convincing through physical makeup that emphasized his vulnerability. His portrayal culminated in strong scenes where Aegon prepared to face death directly and confronted his arrogant younger brother.
Olivia Cooke maintained high standards throughout the third season as Queen Alicent Hightower, portraying a woman driven to quiet despair as she navigates losing control of the political conflict. Once holding absolute leverage, Alicent was depicted maneuvering desperately to save her daughter and unborn grandchild, even as she faced the prospect of sacrificing her sons.
Cooke's grounded work prevented the civil war from becoming a simple moral split, fostering viewer sympathy for House Hightower despite Rhaenyra being the lawful heir. The review praised Cooke for consistently breathing life into the character across all three seasons despite a lack of flashy dramatic set pieces.
Daemon and Aemond Targaryen Share Bottom Ranking
Matt Smith and Ewan Mitchell shared the bottom position in the ranking, with the publication noting that Mitchell's character repeated the exact narrative path that Smith's character underwent in season two. Both figures had previously drawn criticism for provoking viewer irritation, but both actors displayed newly revealed humanity in the latest episodes.
Smith, widely recognized for his turn as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC series Doctor Who, was finally given emotional range as Daemon Targaryen displayed genuine fatherly concern for his daughter. Visible doubt in Smith's performance elicited sympathy, and with his daughter remaining alive at the end of the season, the review expressed hope for further character depth in season four.
Mitchell had previously relied on a rigid, sinister expression as Prince Aemond Targaryen without moral complexity, but in the final episodes he demonstrated dynamic facial acting as his character moved toward repentance. Concluding its evaluation, Moskovsky Komsomolets noted that established actors maintained their quality while previously dismissed performers offered renewed promise ahead of the final season, expected to air in two years.
