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House of the Dragoninitially thrilled viewers with its rich storytelling and political intrigue, serving as a worthy successor toGame of Thrones. The first season of the show was well-acclaimed, but the recently concluded season 2 failed to capture the magic. While the storyline seemed disjointed to many, the season also introduced several new faces with different arcs.
One such face was Tom Bennett, who went on board to play Ulf White. While there are several elements about the character that caused intrigue amongst the viewers, Bennett, on the other hand, had to eat 30 birds in a scene to bring the character to life.
Eating 30 Quail Birds in a Single Day Left Tom Bennett Physically Sick
Tom Bennett’s role as Ulf White in the latest season ofHouse of the Dragonhas certainly made waves. Introduced as one of the fresh faces, Ulf was portrayed as a character who flaunts his Targaryen lineage. Further, he gets chosen by Rhaenyra Targaryen to bond with a dragon and aid her rebellion against her half-brother, Aegon II.
In this, Ulf stands out as one of the few who successfully manages to complete this daunting task. He further bonds with Silverwing, thus aiding Rhaenyra in her quest to get back her throne. In the finale of season 2, a grand feast is organized by Rhaenyra, in which she promises knighthood to those who prove themselves worthy in battle.
During the same event, Ulf’s coarse behavior is highlighted as he demands“more little birds.”Bennett, in a behind-the-scenes featurette (viaIndependent), described this as“when those birds arrive, you have to f***king eat them.”During the shoot, the actor had to eat over 30 quails, which in return took a significant physical toll on him.
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But he thought of it as“I’m getting paid to eat birds,”so he was determined to continue eating until he felt physically ill. It was all his dedication to bring authenticity to his character and the willingness to endure such discomfort to do justice to the scene.
Tom Bennett Talks About the Fate of Characters Like Him in House of the Dragon
In the hit prequel, Bennett’s character Ulf’s life takes a completely different turn when Silverwing chooses him as her rider. This significant moment, along with those involving other bastards of Valyrian descent like Hugh Hammer and Addam of Hull, signals a notable shift in thebalanceof power.
For instance, in Season 2, Episode 7, titledThe Red Sowing,the viewers witness the character’s beginnings in King’s Landing’s Flea Bottom to becoming a dragon rider, mirroring a transformative journey seen throughout the season. To add to this, in a recent interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Bennett dives deeper into what this dramatic evolution means for Ulf and other bastards.
While his statements focused specifically on his character, many of his observations are equally relevant for others as well. He added:
It’s huge. Ulf is the bottom of the barrel; he’s Flea Bottom through and through. He’s poor folk and the oppressed. He’s the working class man under the thumb of the ruling classes and lived with that his entire life. Suddenly, he’s sitting on a nuclear warhead. The power shift is huge. Let’s see what he does with that.
The narrative of Ulf, Hugh, and Addam’s ascension to dragon riders for the Blacks mirrors a classic rags-to-riches story. This theme of unexpected elevation to power was also witnessed inGames of Throneswith characters like Petyr Baelish, Varys, Bronn, and Davos Seaworth, who rose from being unknown to achieve significant influence and status.
You can streamHouse of the Dragonon Max.
Sakshi Singh
Articles Published :1435
Sakshi Singh has written over 1,300 entertainment articles, mostly about Netflix shows and reality TV. She’s spent the last two years covering everything from surprise engagements to shocking eliminations and previously wrote for Essentially Sports in their Netflix Junkie division. A self-proclaimed reality TV addict, Sakshi has watched all 48 seasons of Survivor and never misses a new dating or competition series. She loves watching how strangers meet, fall in love, team up, or betray each other - it’s the mix of strategy and drama that keeps her hooked. When she’s not glued to a reality show, she’s usually watching a crime thriller or tracking the next big streaming hit.
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