Harry Lloydis best remembered in the role of the whiny prince, Viserys Targaryen, in HBO’s hitGame of Thronesseries. While he was in the series for a short duration, Lloyd fit into the show’s complex world quite well, as the heir to a dead noble house, with all the pride and none of the experience.
Audiences outside the UK might be unfamiliar with his work outsideGame of Thrones, but Lloyd has enjoyed a long career as an actor, appearing in television as early as 1999. He’s been a prolific performer on the stage, television, and in movies, most recently appearing as the enigmatic King Richard III inStephen Frears' movieThe Lost King, and lending his voice to the character of Victor in theNetflix animated series,Arcane. While he is often seen in supporting roles, Lloyd can slip into his roles with great ease, portraying diverse roles with conviction. Let’s check out 9 best performances by Harry Lloyd.
9Brave New World (2020)
Brave New Worldis a Peacock series based on the famous book by Aldous Huxley, where humans live in a utopian society with a rigid intelligence-based social class system and unusual rules all designed to ensure a continued utopia. The series uses its futuristic settings to present a fascinating exploration of the topics of happiness and purpose.Brave New Worldcenters around Alden Ehrenreich as John, a man from the Savage Lands who is brought into the utopian society, called New London, for integration. Lloyd appears in the series as Bernard Marx, an A+ level citizen of New London, and works as a counselor. He becomes an important companion for John in the utopian society.
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8Great Expectations (2011)
Not a lot of people are aware that Lloyd is adirect descendant ofCharles Dickens — his great-great-great-grandson, in fact. And his work reflects his heritage in a way. Lloyd was a part of the 2011 BBC miniseriesGreat Expectations, an adaptation of the classic coming-of-age novel by Dickens. While the central character of Pip is played by actor Douglas Booth, Lloyd appears in the series as Pip’s close friend, Herbert Pocket.
7Closer to the Moon (2013)
Closer to the Moon, a Romanian-American film, received numerous awards at the Gopo Awards when it was released in 2013. The movie told the real-life story of the Ioanid Gang, a group that managed to rob a bank in Romania under the guise of filming a movie. The movie had a cast of well-known actors including Mark Strong, Vera Farmiga, and Anton Lesser. Lloyd appears as a recurring character, a cameraman named Virgil, whose perspective is often used to tell the story.
6Robin Hood (2006)
The 2006 seriesRobin Hoodis one of the classic shows that aired on BBC One, running for a total of three seasons. The series was a greatly engaging retelling of theRobin Hoodstory, pitting the titular character and his gang of Merry Men in a protracted conflict with the Sheriff Vaisey of Nottingham, played by Keith Allen. The series featured rich characters, all based on theRobin Hoodtales, and including Robin Hood’s love interest played by Lucy Griffiths. The role of Robin Hood was fulfilled by Jonas Armstrong, while Lloyd was well-loved in his role as one of the Merry Men, Will Scarlett.
5The Lost King (2022)
The Lost Kingis the most recent film in which Lloyd appears, telling the real-life story of Philippa Langley, the woman who discovered the lost tomb of King Richard III’s grave. The story is presented as a pleasant comedy-drama, with Sally Hawkins giving a critically acclaimed performance as Philippa Langley. Harry Lloyd is cast in the movie in a curious role — the physical manifestation of Langley’s manic obsession with Richard III. Lloyd manages to take on that role delicately, conveying a sense of other-worldliness in his performance.
Related:TIFF 2022 Review: The Lost King is a Touching Story Where Past Meets Present
4Doctor Who (2007)
Lloyd had a two-episode stint in season three ofDoctor Whoas the brilliant villain called Son of Mine. His character was an alien hunter who was after the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, in order to steal the Doctor’s immortality. Fans of the seriescommend his performancein the two episodes, as he brought a maniacal and sadistic take on his character that became the focal point of the Family of Blood story.
3Legion (2019)
Legionis an FX series based on the eponymous character from Marvel Comics, an extremely powerful mutant character who also happens to be the son of Professor Xavier. The series had a successful three-season run from 2017 to 2019, with Dan Stevens taking on the role of David Haller/Legion. The appearance of Professor X was only a matter of time once the show was released. After some rumors about Patrick Stewart reprising his role from theX-Menmovies, the role ultimately fell to Lloyd, who portrayed a younger version of the character in season three of the series.
2Arcane (2021)
The Netflix animated seriesArcanehas been receiving much praise from fans and critics alike, sweeping up many awards for its first season includingnine Annie awards. The show is based on theLeague of Legendsvideo game, and stood out due to its deeply emotive storytelling and amazing voice acting from cast members. Lloyd plays the role of Viktor, perfectly nailing the character’s accent and giving a greatly expressive voice acting performance. His work inArcaneis arguably one of his most stand-out performances.
1Game of Thrones (2011)
Lloyd is most popularly known as Viserys Targaryen, the last prince of the house of the dragon inGame of Thrones. While not a powerful villain in any way, Viserys was a fussy prince who spent most of his time on-screen making loud and unimpressive claims upon the Iron Throne. The character was seen only through the first season, but Lloyd performance as the last Targaryen prince definitely left an impression on viewers.
