"I felt it was a bit of a funny joke about people who have dogs, who end up looking like their dogs"

Kieran Bew knows the power of good facial hair. He credits the appearance to Hugh Hammer's success in taming the massive Vermithor in House of the Dragon's seventh season episode, "The Red Sowing".

"I had a big beard and everyone was debating whether I should shave it off or not," says Bew. "And I just said: I love Vermithor's design of his teeth, which look like they go in all different directions; like if he bit you it would be the most painful thing, almost like being trapped in an Iron Maiden or something .And I felt like it was kind of a funny joke about people having dogs that end up looking like their dogs.”

Bew was aware that Hugh's entire season arc was leading up to his showdown with Vermithor, and aware of how many aesthetic choices there were to establish the depth of the decision to go to Dragonstone: He kept the beard and his hair the same color as Daemon's (if not Viserys), with a bit of Bew's own natural hue mixed in. And as he watched Hugh's agitation with the ruling class of King's Landing grow, Bew found the role in small beats, like being so desperate for food that he beats up a citizen to get a bag.