House Of The Dragon star Steve Toussaint has said he is “gutted” about showrunner Miguel Sapochnik’s departure from the series.
The co-creator quit the Game Of Thrones prequel series after the second episode aired on HBO. He will continue to work on the show in a limited capacity as an executive producer, with fellow co-creator Ryan J. Condal now running the show on his own.
“We have this English phrase ‘gutted’ and I was like, ‘Oh no,’” Toussaint, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon (aka the Sea Snake), said during a recent appearance on Entertainment Weekly’s West of Westeros podcast.
“I got a call from Ryan one night, just saying, ‘Listen, this is about to break. I want you to know what’s happening and everything’s going to be fine,’ and so forth. And ‘It’s Miguel’s decision.’ So I was disappointed.”
Toussaint went on to discuss Sapochnik’s heavy workload, explaining that he understood the co-creator’s decision to quit the show.
“It was full-on with him, because he was constant. Of course, he had to direct and do his own bits, obviously his own episodes. And then, of course, he has to overlook the whole thing, make sure the look is still in line with the whole story. I think they’re still right now cutting the last couple of episodes. So it’s a huge amount. So I understand.”
Toussaint added: “While personally I’m disappointed, because I think he has a great artistic vision, I understand, for the good of his health, he’s got to take a long break and recharge himself and decide what else he wants to do next. I think the world’s his oyster, because he’s so incredibly talented.”
Sapochnik announced his departure from the series last week, saying in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter): “Working within the Thrones universe for the past few years has been an honour and a privilege, especially spending the last two with the amazing cast and crew of House of the Dragon.”
“I am so proud of what we accomplished with Season one and overjoyed by the enthusiastic reaction of our viewers. It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally.”
HBO has renewed House Of The Dragon for a second season, following news that the first episode of the series, which premiered on August 21, was watched by over 20 million viewers in the US.
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