Unlike Matt Smith, who had it easy, HOTD character Rhaenyra Targaryen had bad luck with romance in House of the Dragon. Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Criston Cole (played by Fabien Frankel), a psychotic incel who was so shattered when she refused to go with him that he acquired a hatred towards her that he still harbors almost twenty years later. In the meantime, she’s married her uncle, Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith), a cruel man who goes on a killing spree in the first episode of House of the Dragon. Maybe Rhaenyra should leave them both alone and let them know each other.
Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon, has become the ideal hottie in the Game of Thrones prequel. And during a recent session at Comic Con Stockholm, Frankel admitted to being jealous of his colleague, Matt Smith, for not being able to kiss him on the program. Here is what Fabien Frankel actually answered to the question relating to this affair at Comic-Con.
Fabien Frankel is not Matt Smith’s fanboy, but affectionate in general
It’s just something actor Fabian Frankel, who plays House of the Dragon’s Ser Criston Cole, considered. Criston defeats Daemon in direct combat in a tournament early in the series, and there is an atmosphere of competition between them whenever they are on stage thereafter. It doesn’t play out offstage though, Fabien Frankel seems to have a penchant for Matt Smith. He is an affectionate person towards all his colleagues, as he publicly displayed with Rhys Ifans recently.
Fabien Frankel and Rhys Ifans share a hug at the London premiere of HOTD. I love this cast đ© of dragonhouse
Matt Smith seems to be different from Fabien
Matt Smith, unlike Rhys Ifans, gets more than just a minor affection. Fabien wanted to kiss Matt during a kiss scene between Criston and Matt. At Comic-Con in Stockholm, Fabien also said he was jealous of Milly Alcock, who played young Rhaenyra, as she kissed Daemon. So far, Fabien’s sexuality has not been questioned and he has not come out, unlike the elder actress Rhaenyra Emma D’Arcy, who is non-binary.
Fabien Frankel answered the question if there was a scene in House of the Dragon that made him jealous by saying “Milly has to kiss Matt Smith”. He had hinted that he had a thing for Matt Smith earlier when he said this during a conversation with The Guardian:
“I remember Matt saying, ‘Maybe they’re flirting, Criston and Daemon.’ It’s funny because I thought that in private but I didn’t want to say anything in case it got controversial.”
Fabien also reportedly said that Matt Smith was “super hot” in House of the Dragon, and it’s the “sexiest” he’s ever seen of him. I can’t speak for Fabien, but Matt Smith definitely worked magic on him.