Glamsquad reports that Steve Toussaint has revealed that he was the target of racist attacks after being cast as Corlys Velaryon in HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon.
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The British actor, 57, told The Hollywood Reporter that he underestimated the response when he was cast in the first prominent role for a person of color in the Game of Thrones universe.
‘When I got the job, I was like, ‘It’s just another role because I have Black friends who had small or recurring roles in Game of Thrones,’ Toussaint told the outlet. ‘I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until I was racially abused on social media when it was announced.’ That s*** did happen.’
According to the actor, one person called him the N-word, and others created art to mock his casting on the show.
‘There was also a Black American chap who is a big fan of the show who contacted me saying that he gets abuse because he championed me for the part,’ Touissant explained.
‘There are such discussions going on about it on platforms like Reddit, which I’m not on. “Oh wow,” I thought, and then I thought, “Okay, this means a lot to some people,” but I can’t let that bother me.’
Toussaint stated that he has heard from several colleagues in the entertainment industry who have also been the target of racist messages after being cast in prominent roles.
He claimed that someone he’s ‘known for a long time’ received racist messages after landing a role in a Marvel film.
‘She got it from a friend of mine who played Hermione in the stage version of Harry Potter,’ Toussaint said. ‘I worked with John Boyega, and he nailed it.’ If it bothers you, don’t watch it.’