Why Otto Hightower From House Of The Dragon Looks So Familiar

Rhys Ifans played one of Westeros' most influential figures as Otto Hightower in "House of the Dragon," but audiences may also recognize him from battling Spider-Man and appearing in the Wizarding World. The actor behind the former Hand of the King has built a long career filled with notable genre roles.

One of Ifans' most memorable early performances was as Spike, William's (Hugh Grant) sloppy roommate in the classic romantic comedy "Notting Hill."

In 2010, Ifans played Xenophilius Lovegood, the father of Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1." Two years later, he portrayed Dr. Curt Connors, the scientist who becomes the supervillain known as the Lizard, in "The Amazing Spider-Man." Ifans reprised the role in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," though the character appears as a CGI reptile for virtually the entire film.

His other prominent film roles include playing Grigori Rasputin in "The King's Man," portraying the navigator Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) hires for her historic swim in the biopic "Nyad," and appearing in a quirky supporting role in "Venom: The Last Dance."

On television, Ifans played Mycroft Holmes on the CBS series "Elementary" and CIA officer Hector DeJean in the Epix spy drama "Berlin Station." More recently, he took on a lead role in the "For All Mankind" spin-off "Star City," streaming on Apple TV.

Rhys Ifans was part of the main cast of "House of the Dragon," which premiered on HBO in 2022, though Otto Hightower had a much smaller role in the third season.

"I tend to get recognized a little more often than I may have done a couple of years ago," Ifans said of the show's success in an interview with Collider.

As the Hand of the King, Otto pursues a path that would put his own family on the Iron Throne instead of the declared heir, Princess Rhaenyra. His political maneuvering helps set much of the show's drama and ensuing civil war in motion.

Otto may have been cold and calculating, but behind the scenes, Ifans frequently kept his co-stars laughing, especially when they were supposed to remain serious. "Rhys Ifans has a certain twinkle under his eye," Milly Alcock, who plays the young Rhaenyra, explained in a BBC Radio 1 interview.

Fabien Frankel, who plays Criston Cole, added that Ifans would shout obscenities while other actors filmed their close-ups, prompting laughter. "At times they would have to be like, 'Rhys, we need you to kind of leave so we can get [the take],'" Frankel recalled.