The third season of House of the Dragon kicks off with a massive maritime clash. Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his son, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), command Rhaenyra Targaryen’s naval forces against the Triarchy’s blockade of King’s Landing. Known in George R.R. Martin’s source material as the Battle of the Gullet, this is arguably the most brutal sea fight in Westerosi history. HBO went to extraordinary lengths to capture its scale, utilizing four separate vessels, intricate water tanks, and millions of liters of water to craft a truly immersive experience.
Beyond the demanding stunt choreography and the technical challenge of maintaining composure while wearing heavy armor, the cast faced a far more unsavory obstacle: the water itself.
Speaking with Polygon, Salim and Toussaint revealed that the most difficult aspect of filming aboard the replica of The Queen That Never Was was the constant fear of accidentally swallowing the stagnant water in the studio’s tank.
Image: HBO“The tank was deep, and safety divers were stationed nearby at all times in case of an emergency,” Toussaint explained. “The issue was that those divers were in the water all day, and they had no way to exit for natural relief. You can imagine the discomfort that caused.”
Salim noted that the situation became a dark running joke on set, with stunt performers even offering questionable advice. “I remember a stuntman asking if I’d swallowed any water. When I wasn’t sure, he told me to chug some Coke, claiming it would kill off anything dangerous. It was a bizarre, stressful detail that defined those long shooting days.”
Harry Collett, who plays Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, faced his own struggles while filming the dragon-riding sequences. The combination of intense water exposure and the unique materials of his costume led to some startling results. “The gloves I wore reacted with the water, dyeing my hands completely blue,” Collett shared. “The medic rushed over because they were convinced I was suffering from hypothermia. It was grueling, but also unlike anything I’d ever experienced.”
Toussaint took his physical preparation seriously, spurred on by his fellow cast members. After learning that Abigail Thorn—who portrays the formidable Triarchy admiral Sharako Lohar—was undergoing intensive combat training, Toussaint felt compelled to step up his own routine. “I didn’t want to be the one struggling to keep up with someone as athletic as Abigail,” he admitted. “I’m proud to say I held my own.”
Image: HBOWhile the ship-based sequences required months of rehearsals, Bethany Antonia—who plays Baela Targaryen—noted that filming the dragon-riding scenes was a solitary, abstract experience. “We were acting against an invisible backdrop, trusting the directors to guide us through an environment we couldn’t actually see,” she said.
When the final footage was pieced together, the result was a landmark sequence for television. The Battle of the Gullet elevates the stakes of the Targaryen succession war, setting a new benchmark for spectacle that rivals the legendary battles of Game of Thrones.
House of the Dragon season 3 debuts on HBO on June 21, with new episodes airing every Sunday through August 9.
Source: Polygon
