For anyone who grew up orbiting the colossal universe of George R. R. Martin, stepping into the world of Game of Thrones still carries a certain pinch-me quality. That’s Henry Ashton speaking, not us. As he enters a new chapter in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the British actor sits down with Man About Town to reflect on his winding road to the Iron Throne.
Henry Ashton is living proof that good timing often disguises itself as patience. Now 33, it was only five years ago that the British actor finally gave in to the itch to act – a dream he’d circled for years without quite daring to claim. Taking the plunge quickly paid off. Soon he was landing roles in series like My Lady Jane and the BBC’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, before securing his most intoxicating part yet: the drunken dreamer Daeron Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – a project he’d actually tried to audition for at around seventeen.
After training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating from the drama programme in 2022, Ashton’s early years were a patchwork of retail, hospitality, fashion and music jobs – the kind of prelude many actors know well. A year later, he made his television debut in the seventh season of Outlander, playing Sandy Hammond opposite Sam Heughan and Tobias Menzies. And as the saying goes, once the first million is made, the second comes easier. In Ashton’s case, once the first role arrived, the rest began to follow.
First came Stan Dudley, then Max Hastings – and now Daeron, the Targaryen prince cursed with prophecy and comforted by drink. He joins the Game of Thrones universe alongside an exciting cast including Tanzyn Crawford, Peter Claffey and Man About Town Spring/Summer 26 cover star Finn Bennett. And the momentum shows no sign of slowing. Up next, Ashton will appear in the sequel to Red, White & Royal Wedding, starring alongside Uma Thurman, Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez.
For now, though, he takes a breather from set to chat with Man About Town about carrying Daeron’s emotional weight, watching long-held dreams take shape, and why sometimes the most thrilling place to be is right in the middle of the unknown.
Photography by Michael Shelford
Henry, thanks so much for chatting with us. How have you been? What’s been keeping you busy lately?
I’ve been great, thank you. It’s been a fairly busy start to the year actually, which is always welcome! I’ve been filming Red, White & Royal Wedding, a really lovely job [that] I’m enjoying a lot.
Walk us through your early days. When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career in the arts, and who were some of your earliest influences in the industry?
I think my love for acting was pretty immediate, it just felt very different from the other things I was doing. I loved playing sports growing up, and still do, but the joy I got from performing on stage sort of eclipsed everything else. As for pursuing it as a career, it was something I dreamed about throughout my adult life. It wasn’t until my mid-twenties, when I was lucky enough to work with Than Hussein Clark, a great friend and wonderful director, that I found the confidence to pursue it professionally.
Congrats on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms! How did it feel joining the cast of one of our generation’s biggest shows through the spin-off? Have you always been a Game of Thrones fan?
It will never not feel surreal. I am a huge Thrones fan. If you would have told me, when I was working behind a hotel desk, that I would be a part of the universe, and playing a Targaryen no less…I think I would have had security escort you out.
How did this part come your way? Do you remember your first reaction to the script? What are some of your favourite memories from set?
It all happened quite quickly, to be honest. I found out about the audition only a few days beforehand, just enough time to prepare the scenes they’d sent over. Soon after, I was in the room with Owen, Ira, and Lucy Bevan. I felt an immediate connection to Daeron, and the writing was so strong that it all seemed to click quite naturally, thankfully! I found out I’d got the part the following week…it was quite a moment.
What was your character prep like? Did it involve long hours of Game of Thrones rewatching?
I really wanted to focus on why Daeron behaves the way he does. Obviously, he abuses alcohol quite heavily, among other things, but I was interested in understanding the root of that, why he drinks the way he does. I ended up doing a lot of research into the effects of alcohol on sleep, and dreams in particular. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is when you dream, and that felt incredibly relevant for Daeron, because he’s terrified of his dreams and what they mean. So he doesn’t drink out of desire, he drinks out of desperation. That distinction was the most interesting to me, and ultimately the most helpful in understanding him.
What about this character and his storyline felt most challenging and appealing to you?
For me, it’s his unfulfilled potential. First born son from a royal Targaryen line, with an ability to see into the future. He is funny, charming and has an ability to endear people to him, much like Dunk! ‘What went wrong?’ That’s what I found appealing. The self destruction and the inability to handle his own power and potential. It’s truly tragic.
Photography by Michael Shelford
Your character is a favourite among the books’ fans. Did you return to the books during your character prep? How much has that early fan perception influenced your performance?
Of course, it was the first thing I did. Having the source material available is an invaluable resource for an actor. It really helped with understanding the world in which Daeron exists.
Game of Thrones has, of course, such a dedicated fan base. What’s the best fan interaction you’ve had so far?
Oh wow, they’ve all been amazing, and incredibly supportive. There was a reel going around that I found very funny. It was a still shot of Daeron, with his eyes closed, smoking a cigarette and listening to Radiohead, which I thought was absolutely spot on.
Your co-star Finn Bennett is Man About Town’s cover star for our Spring/Summer issue. Tell us something we don’t know about Finn and the time you spent together on set.
I love Finn. I can’t say more positive things about the man. The first time we met was at the airport on our way to Belfast. Our flight was cancelled, so they had us travel across London to another airport to catch another flight, which was also then delayed. So we ended up spending the entire day together! But it was great, we immediately got on like a house on fire. He’s such an intelligent actor, with a rare ability to jump off the screen. I just wish we got to have a scene together!
What are you obsessing over right now – film, book, album, restaurant, anything?
It’s a podcast called Radio Rental. I love a scary story, especially if it has anything to do with ghosts. I’ve smashed about 90 episodes in the space of about two weeks.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future?
The unknown! I’m so excited to see what comes around the corner next. It can be scary, but I am addicted to the excitement you feel when an opportunity pops up you never saw coming.
Photography by Michael Shelford
