House of the Dragon star calls out ‘unpleasant’ language about his scar
HBOA House of the Dragon actor has responded to fans describing his facial scar as a “deformity” and asked them to use kinder language.
In Season 2 Episode 7, men and women who believe they’re of Valyrian descent secretly sail to Dragonstone in a courageous effort to bond with the Blacks’ remaining dragons, Vermithor and Silverwing.
Everyone is nervous, but one person steps forward: Silver Denys, played by Robert Rhodes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well for him: Vermithor burns him alive before massacring most of the other wannabe dragonseeds.
Since the episode’s release, several fans have pointed out Rhodes’ scarring on his face. “That is his actual face which is deformed from a birthmark,” one wrote.
Rhodes responded to this on X/Twitter, urging people to consider the “correct use of language when referring to scarring.”
“Call it a scar or a difference, the word DEFORMED isn’t very pleasant and insinuates I am half formed/incorrectly formed, I’m not incorrect, just a bit different,” he wrote.
Rhodes’ casting has also been praised by viewers, with one noting that it may be the first time “other people out there with birthmarks/scaring that have never seen a positive representation of themselves on screen.”
“I just wanted to say how much I appreciated this kind post respectfully noting a thoughtful way to speak about someone else’s looks. I think you’re pretty cool,” another wrote.
“Thank you for sharing your perspective! You’re right, words have power, and ‘deformed’ can be hurtful. Let’s choose kindness and empathy in our language,” a third added.
However, it’s not the first instance of body-shaming during the new season. In an earlier episode, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) appears fully nude in a brothel, sparking “gross” and “unfunny” jokes about the actor’s appearance that were widely criticized.
Before the finale, make sure you’re up to date with our House of the Dragon Season 2 release schedule, and check out our guides on Saera Targaryen, Hugh Hammer, and Ulf the White.