Rhys Ifans joins Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon

Notting Hill star Rhys Ifans has joined HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.

The official Twitter account for the forthcoming show shared a photo of four new castmembers, with the caption: “Bent the knee. Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Rhys Ifans and Sonoya Mizuno join the cast of @HBO’s #HouseOfTheDragon.”

Welsh actor Ifans is best known for his performances in Notting Hill, The Amazing Spider-Man, and the Harry Potter films.

Toussaint appeared in Russell T Davies’ hit Channel 4 drama It’s a Sin, as well as in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe.

Along with a number of British TV roles in Line of Duty, Doctor Who and Our Girl, he also starred with Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton in the 2010 blockbuster adaptation of the Prince of Persia video games.

Meanwhile, Mizuno has appeared in La La Land and Ex Machina, and Eve Best has starred in films including Nurse Jackie and The King’s Speech.

They join the already-announced cast that includes Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen), Emma D’Arcy (Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower) and Paddy Considine (King Viserys Targaryen).

The spin-off is set in Westeros, 200 years before the events of the original series.

Production will reportedly begin this April.