Harry Collett Says Emma D’Arcy’s Emotional ‘House of the Dragon’ Scene Made His Death Scene Hard to Film
Harry Collett has opened up about filming one of the most emotional moments in “House of the Dragon” season 3, revealing that Emma D’Arcy’s performance made it surprisingly difficult for him to simply lie still and play dead.
Collett, who plays Jacaerys Velaryon, spoke about the experience after the release of season 3 episode 2 and praised D’Arcy’s powerful performance as Rhaenyra Targaryen. The actor explained that watching D’Arcy’s reaction while filming the heartbreaking scene made the moment feel incredibly real.
“It was really hard for me to act dead that day because the… the performance was like unbelievable and was so real,” Collett said. “And I mean, watched the episode now, like on screen, which I properly got to see it there. But even just hearing their voice, just screaming and obviously [the weight] down on my body and it was just such a real reaction.”
According to Collett, D’Arcy repeated the emotional performance over and over during the long filming day, but never lost the intensity of the moment.
“They had to do that for like 10 hours that whole day. And each time was as strong as the other take,” he added.
The scene became a major moment for Jace’s storyline, showing the deep emotional impact of his death on Rhaenyra and the rest of the Targaryen family. For Collett, the importance of the character comes from the future Jace could have had if he survived the war.
In George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood,” which serves as the source material for “House of the Dragon,” Jacaerys is portrayed as a young leader with great potential. As the Dance of the Dragons grows more violent, Jace becomes one of the strongest supporters of his mother’s claim to the Iron Throne.
The young heir takes on important political responsibilities, helping build alliances and representing Rhaenyra’s side throughout Westeros. He also plays a key role in finding new dragon riders by searching for people with Targaryen blood who may be able to claim dragons.
Despite his promise as a future ruler, Jace’s story ends in tragedy. In the book, he dies during the Battle of the Gullet, one of the most brutal conflicts of the civil war.
During the battle, Jace fights alongside his dragon Vermax. The situation turns dangerous when Vermax is badly injured and falls into the sea. The chaos becomes even worse when Rhaena arrives on the wild dragon Sheepstealer, creating an unpredictable situation that leaves Jace and Vermax vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Although Jace survives the fall, he is eventually killed by enemy forces, ending the life of someone many believed could have become one of Westeros’ greatest rulers.
For Collett, Jace’s legacy is not only about his death but also about the leader he was becoming. The actor believes his character had the qualities needed to bring a different future to the Seven Kingdoms.
Jace was shown as thoughtful, intelligent, and willing to work for peace, making his loss even more painful for Rhaenyra and her supporters. His death marks a major shift in the war and pushes the conflict between the Blacks and Greens into an even darker chapter.
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