Actor Steve Toussaint plays a prominent role in the prequel to HBO’s Game of Thrones in House of Dragon where he plays Lord Corlys Velaryon, “the leader of the House Velayron, which is one of the closest allies to House Targaryen and the richest house in Westeros.”
Fans of the novel that inspired the show say that Toussaint doesn’t accurately reflect the character he’s been cast to play.
“So many people are basing their idea of the history of this country on a few films and stuff that were made in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, which don’t bear any resemblance to the truth,” Toussaint told Men’s Health. Historically, people of my hue and your hue, we didn’t just turn up here in the ’70s or the ’60s. There was a point when the ruler of his country, “the Caesar,” was an African man. There are street names that tell you there were people who looked like us in this country even then, but for some reason, it seems to be very hard for people to swallow.”