[This story contains spoilers through season three, episode six of House of the Dragon.]

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A weary warrior once said: “To die will be a kind of relief.” That warrior is now dead, and the man who brought him to life is indeed feeling a measure of relief.

After spending two seasons and change as one of the most polarizing characters on House of the Dragon, actor Fabien Frankel has taken his final bow as Criston Cole, killed unceremoniously at the top of season three’s sixth installment. It’s a shocking death for someone who was such a major player in the Dance of the Dragons, not just because of its placement within the episode, but also the way it plays out.

Surrounded by an army and facing certain death, Criston challenges two of his foes to face him in combat. Instead, he receives three off-screen arrows to the chest and face, putting an end to the fight before it even begins.

For Frankel, playing Criston Cole came with its share of blessings and curses. As the actor readily admits, it wasn’t always easy weathering the intense backlash to the character; in fact, it was easy enough for Frankel to occasionally conflate the reaction to Criston with a reaction to him as a performer. But the past week of reactions has looked decidedly different from the previous five years of Frankel’s House of the Dragon life. Even within this very interview, Frankel experiences a new level of appreciation for his time on the show that doesn’t quite jive with how he’s been received in the past.

Speaking with him on the other side of his final episode, Frankel exudes a kind of relief one can only find in one’s own fictional death. In his conversation below with The Hollywood Reporter, Frankel talks about the surreal experience of closing out the House of the Dragon chapter of his career and what it’s like to finally get his flowers — quite literally.

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Fabien, considering you die in the first scene, how much of your own death episode have you actually watched? 

Truth be told, I just watched the opening scene, because I hadn’t yet seen it through and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be unbelievably disappointed in my own performance. Which is kind of the constant fear with anything you’re in, at least certainly for me. 

It airs on Mondays in England, and I watch it with my friends, but I was on a plane on Sunday, and now I’m here… and my HBO Max login won’t work.

Because you’re in a new location?

I’m actually glad [HBO] is on this call, because someone needs to hook me up with a new account! 

Your final scene involves a massive amount of stunt work. Just as Criston himself is fighting for his life, knowing it will all end soon, you were learning the choreography, knowing it would all end soon. Did you feel that parallel while filming?

I guess so, yeah! Those fight scenes are always life-and-death stakes, anyway. It didn’t feel any more or less like that. But in truth, it’s the hardest I’ve thrown myself into it, because I haven’t gotten to do a fight like that before. There’s the first episode of season one with my fight against Daemon (Matt Smith), but it wasn’t a long fight by any means, and a lot was done on horses before it went to the ground. So this was the first really long choreography that I had to learn. I’m not sure if there was more of a life or death feeling in the knowledge that this was my last one; if I had done loads of them before, would it have felt the same? I’m not sure.

So because you were so focused on —

Oh, I’m so sorry. Someone is knocking on my hotel room door. Just one second, so sorry about that.

Not a problem at all.

(Moments pass.)

Someone came and dropped some flowers off in my room! I have no idea who they’re from. There’s no note!

It’s the universe giving you some deserved flowers!

Wow. 

I was hoping it was HBO Max with a new login, but…

Flowers will do. Yes, flowers will do.

I know you knew about Criston’s death in advance. It’s an epic moment in the book. How much did you hype it up for yourself in the years leading up to it?

It’s funny. I always knew it was going to happen, but to a degree, you just put it out of your mind until it finally happens, if that makes sense. And… (pauses.) Oh my god, my phone is ringing now in my hotel. Excuse me, I’m so sorry.

It is all good!

(Fabien answers his phone.) Hello? Okay. Who is it from? Oh, that’s so sweet. That is so kind. Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate it. Thanks a lot. (Fabien ends the phone call.) Wow, I’m so sorry about that. If anyone else calls my phone or rings a doorbell, I’m going to have to do something drastic.

I wish I knew where you were staying so I could send you a pizza, just for the bit.

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If a pizza showed up? That’s a real turn of events.

As the man playing Criston, you’ve seen your share of negativity over the years. But this week, I’m seeing a lot of love for your performance, if not necessarily for the character. Does the fan reaction feel different to you right now?

It really does. It’s been so lovely. Obviously as an actor, you try to have a thick skin, but the reality is, it’s hard. It’s hard to disassociate from the character sometimes when the fans have such an animosity toward Criston Cole. It can be difficult to separate yourself from it. So it’s not just lovely, it’s actually quite unexpected, if I’m being honest. It’s very touching. I’m very moved by all of the outpouring of love from my friends, my family, and the fans. It’s very different from the last five years of pure hatred, I’ll tell you that! I’m glad people realize I’m not Criston.

Is the goal now to do something extremely different? Rom-com, perhaps?

Yeah, sure, I’ll play Mister Nice! But it’s funny. Because of Criston, I get offered a lot of parts that are of a similar vein. 

You could even argue Grasso on Task has a thread to Criston, right?

It’s a little different there, because he starts as someone people love, then he turns very quickly. But I think I have to take a hard stand, man. Unless Christopher Nolan comes calling with that kind of a part in mind for me, I don’t know that I’m going to [play another villain] soon. But you never know. A great script’s a great script, right? And these kinds of parts really are such great parts. 

That’s something I really want to say: as tough as it was at times to feel the wrath of such a powerful fanbase, this was a great role. I will always rather play a part that rubs people the wrong way and makes people think and makes people angry than play someone people are apathetic toward. There’s no nihilism from the fanbase toward Criston Cole, that’s for sure. That, to me, is a joy.

Does an experience like this make you more or less inclined to pursue roles in the franchise world?

I’d really have to see what comes. These next few months, it’s the first time in a few years where I’ve been really, not free, but not tied to something that I know is constantly coming. If it’s a great filmmaker and a great script, I’ll jump at whatever form it takes. But right now, there’s this feeling of not knowing what’s next, not knowing what’s going to come and who is going to come calling.

How do you feel about that? Are you comfortable living in that unknown?

It’s a new feeling, man. I’ve been doing a lot of television. I’ve done five seasons of TV in my career. So this feeling, it’s very fresh. And I think even with the knowledge that there would be all of this press I still had to do for House of the Dragon, it made me feel like I’m still working on House of the Dragon, if that makes sense. So now I have a few more hours of work to do on the show with press, with doing a talk show… making the rounds.

How does death press compare to normal press?

That’s a great question. People approach you more gently with death, I think. It’s funny, I remember doing the junket for season three, and getting questions like, “Oh, Criston Cole! Another hatable season for Criston!” Which would be frustrating, because I just can’t see him like that. But now all of the sudden people are asking, “How do you feel? What a great arc!” So, I’m pretty relieved about it. I do think the writers did a great job creating a final arc for Cole. 

With a blank slate on the horizon, let’s manifest something. Marvel just announced Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider, after years of him manifesting the role for himself, so let’s do it for you.

Oh man, it’s so scary to put something out there like that! (Pauses.) Look, I would love to do something in the Batman universe. Obviously, Rob Pattinson is terrific and Christian Bale was terrific, but I grew up with Clooney as my first Batman! It would be an honor to do anything in that universe, even a villain, or Bruce Wayne himself. So I guess if I’m putting something out there, that’s probably what I would put out. But I think they’re doing just fine with Rob, so…

Sure, but that’s The Batman. The search is on for a new Batman in the DC Universe.

Oh, yeah. They want to do the Batman that’s going to go up against David Corenswet? He’s so handsome and so charismatic. That would be fascinating. He’s such a great actor. I believe he started in theater, much like me, so he has my respect.

Can’t you talk to Millie? She’s Supergirl!

That’s right, Millie is Supergirl. You know, someone sent me an interview last week where Millie said if there’s someone she wants to bring into DC, it’s me. So maybe we are manifesting it today.

That third knock on the door won’t be a pizza from me, it’s going to be James Gunn.

You never know! I haven’t said this anywhere else, so if it happens, you’ve got the exclusive! If I get off the phone and get another call… (Laughs.) Listen, in this world? You just never know.

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House of the Dragon releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

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