Who is Charlie Gordon, the trans actor rumoured to be taking on a major House of the Dragon role?
Charlie Gordon is rumoured to be joining the House of the Dragon season three cast (Instagram/@Charlie.e.gordon and Theo Whiteman/HBO)
Charlie Gordon is rumoured to be joining the House of the Dragon season three cast (Instagram/@Charlie.e.gordon and Theo Whiteman/HBO)
The actor Charlie Gordon is rumoured to be joining the cast of House of the Dragon. If so, that would make him the first out-trans man to join HBO’s Game of Thrones universe.
While rumours have circulated for months as to whether Gordon has joined the show, the online chatter about Charlie Gordon has increased recently thanks to a “leak” by social media account Westerosies.
Professing to be the “Leading source for the latest news, facts, & content for HBO’s expanding Game of Thrones Universe,” the account posted the following tweet on X/Twitter today (Thursday 17 July):
“As Prince Daeron Targaryen, Charlie Gordon becomes the first trans man to play a leading character in HBO’s ‘GAME OF THRONES’ Universe. Remember to fill the actor with love and encouragement on his new role!,” the post read. It was accompanied by a headset of Gordon as well as a promotional image for House of the Dragon.
As Prince Daeron Targaryen, Charlie Gordon becomes the first trans man to play a leading character in HBO’s ‘GAME OF THRONES’ Universe.
— westerosies (@westerosies) July 16, 2025
Remember to fill the actor with love and encouragement on his new role! pic.twitter.com/iZRjCSO7kK
As Prince Daeron Targaryen aka ‘Daeron the Daring’, Charlie Gordon would play a vital role in the upcoming third season of the popular HBO series. The character, the third son of Viserys I (Paddy Considine) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and brother to Aegon (Ty Tennant) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), is crucial in the Dance of Dragons, a civil war set during Targaryen rule of the Seven Kingdoms.
The character was left out of House of Dragon‘s first two seasons and fans have been eagerly awaiting his arrival. “I hope this is real. We’ve all been waiting long enough for news of his casting,” wrote one fan in a Reddit thread.
Meanwhile others debated whether Gordon looked right for the part, with many arguing he looked too young. Some defended the actor though, with one person saying, “Daeron is young and fresh-faced in the text. I think this honors the original material… at least as much as we could hope for from this team.”
Another person wrote: “the internet will always be ruthless and cold-hearted, especially when it’s about welcoming a trans actor. But I’m sure he’ll kill it as Daeron.”
Who is Charlie Gordon?
Charlie Gordon starred in the 2022 film adaptation of Matilda: The Musical. He has also performed in the West End musical, The School of Rock. Before that, he was a regular sight on-stage, working with many UK theatre companies and starring in multiple productions.
If Charlie Gordon does indeed end up playing Prince Daeron Targaryen, he will not be the only queer star in the House of Dragon cast. As well as Emma D’Arcy, who is non-binary, trans actor Abigail Thorn is also expected to return as Sharako Lohar. Out-gay actor Sir Simon Russell Beale is also in the cast.
The third season of House of Dragon is currently in production with the season expected to drop sometime in 2026. Matt Smith, D’Arcy, and Olivia Cooke are all returning in their respective roles. They and other returning actors will be joined by James Norton as Ormund Hightower.
