As anticipation builds for the premiere of the highly awaited second season of House of the Dragon, fans take a notorious dig at a particular House Stark actor, Tom Taylor. Set to play Cregan Stark, the Lord of Winterfell in S2, Taylor has surprisingly garnered immense hate and criticism since his casting announcement.
A lot of people seem to be skeptical based on Tom Taylor’s appearance as Cregan Stark which lacks intimidation. However, as fans delve back into the complex world of Westeros with House of the Dragon S2, a few of them rally behind Taylor, fervently defending him against backlash.
Tom Taylor Cast as Cregan Stark in House of the Dragon Faces Backlash
Back in December 2023, EW reported the arrival of a popular figure from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood in House of the Dragon season 2. With HBO dropping the first trailer of the upcoming batch of episodes, the studio confirmed Tom Taylor’s appearance as Lord Cregan Stark, the current Lord of Winterfell in the timeline of House of the Dragon.
Following his appearance opposite the likes of Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey in 2017’s The Dark Tower, as Tom Taylor made headlines, he caught the attention of House of the Dragon creators who then cast him in a titular role in the upcoming season. However, not everyone was happy about Taylor’s casting as Cregan Stark, since many fans complained about the actor’s lack of intimidation in his childlike appearance.
Much like people were skeptical about Matt Smith‘s casting as Daemon Targaryen ahead of his appearance in House of the Dragon, considering his previous experience as Doctor Who, netizens went after Tom Taylor for lacking similarities to his book interpretation. Thus, fans voiced concerns that Taylor’s portrayal might lack the intimidating presence they envisioned for the formidable figure in the tumultuous history of the Seven Kingdoms,
Fans Rally Behind Cregan Stark Actor Ahead of Season 2 Premiere
However, following the latest buzz surrounding Tom Taylor’s portrayal of Cregan Stark, fans of the actor rallied behind him to defend him from critics dimming his spark ahead of proving his capabilities in season 2. Championing the actor’s performance and urging people to give him time to fully embody the role since he is set to appear as young Cregan Stark, fans offer their unwavering support to Taylor.
Since House of the Dragon fans were quick to express their skepticism surrounding Tom Taylor’s casting, supporters argued that the character’s development should be given room to unfold over the course of season 2, rather than expecting immediate perfection from the time of casting. Offering valid arguments about the timeline and Cregan Stark’s appearance as a youngster in the story, Taylor’s fans defend the star from losing his confidence.
Let him grow up bruh
— OneTense 🇩🇪🇮🇹🇪🇺🇺🇦🇮🇱🏳️🌈🖤💛FCKAFD (@OneTense) June 6, 2024
Cregan is much younger at this point in the story than his is by the end of the war. also, a ton of stuff happens between now and then
— Dunny ⚾🌧🌻 (@Rexnoct) June 6, 2024
You're looking at one photo of a young Cregan.
Let them cook man.— ѕ a м p l e т e х т (@ampleflex) June 6, 2024
Looking intimidating and being intimidating are 2 different things.
— LilDbo (@VirgilHawkins99) June 6, 2024
He's still a kid at this point in the story.
— Red Jawn (@Red_Jawn) June 6, 2024
this point in the storyline im pretty sure cregan is still young maybe in the following season he’ll look older
— ꩜ (@inpuraa) June 6, 2024
As House of the Dragon prepares to embark on its second season from June 16, 2024, onwards, the debate surrounding Cregan Stark’s portrayal showcases the complexities that appear while adapting beloved literary works for the screen. Although meeting fans’ expectations while maintaining creative interpretation is no easy feat, the show creators and the actors involved appear to be embracing the challenge, with the utmost support from fans.
House of the Dragon is available on Max.
