"House of the Dragon" star Steve Toussaint addressed the racism he faced after being cast in the "Game of Thrones" prequel, saying that seeing a "rich Black guy" in a fantasy series is "beyond the pale" for some.
The "Small Axe" and "Judge Dredd" star plays Lord Corlys Velaryon in the sprawling drama, which premiered Sunday on HBO. But long before the first episode made HBO Max crash, Toussaint's casting set off another backlash and reignited the conversation about diverse casting in period dramas.
Delving further into the topic in a Men's Health interview, the 57-year-old Brit said he's also been told that "it's great to have this representation" on the show. Prior to that, however, he revealed that he "was racially abused on social media" but wouldn't allow it to get to him.
