The latest episode of HBO’s fantasy epic House Of The Dragon was a particularly brutal one. Like many of the standouts from Game Of Thrones, it was an hour filled with gasp-inducing moments and shocking deaths that left audiences utterly rattled.
But as the “Dance Of Dragons”—a.k.a. the war of succession among dueling factions of House Targaryen—wages on, there is at least one bright spot delighting fans amidst all the battle and bloodshed: Ser Gwayne Hightower, played by dashing English actor Freddie Fox.
Oh, sure, Gwayne—brother of Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke)—is a total prick, though it’s his privileged smarminess that makes him so fun to hate. And credit where credit’s due to Fox for already making the character (who was newly introduced this season) a memorable one among this sprawling ensemble.
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And, is it just us, or is there a bit of sexual tension between Gwayne and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel)? We sure wouldn’t mind if those two danced each other’s dragons, if you catch our drift…
With Gwayne a near-immediate fan favorite, it’s got folks wanting to know more about Freddie Fox, the 35-year-old actor who has starred in a number of queer roles across his prolific career.
Hailing from London and the famed Fox dynasty—a family of acclaimed British thespians—his first major breakthrough performance was as the androgynous pop star Marilyn in the 2010 Boy George biopic Worried About The Boy. (Yes, he looks fabulous in a blonde wig and red lips.)
In an early theater role, he played Oscar Wilde’s lover in the play Judas Kiss. And, in 2014, he starred in both the (fantastic) ensemble dramedy Pride as a gay rights activist and the prep school thriller The Riot Club which is incredibly homoerotic.
But Fox’s most notable queer role is undoubtedly the “bisexual nympho” Freddie Baxter, who appeared in Queer As Folk creator Russell T Davies’ 2015 series Cucumber and its sister anthology series Banana, envisioned as “spiritual sequels” to QAF that depicted 21st century modern LGBTQ+ life.
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The character Freddie Baxter is an absolute riot—who happens to look fantastic in a pair of white briefs—and it seems the internet is rediscovering Fox’s unforgettable turn in the series in light of his recent House Of The Dragon arc:
Of course, given the variety of LGBTQ+ characters Fox has played over the years, there’s been a fair amount of speculation about his sexuality, and the press hasn’t exactly been shy about asking him.
In a 2015 interview with the Telegraph, the actor famously said, “I’ve had girlfriends, but I wouldn’t wish to say ‘I am this or I am that,’ because at some time in my life I might fall in love with a man” and that he has an “appreciation of both sexes,” leading many media outlets to label him as bisexual or queer.
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“At some point in my life I might fall in love with a man.”
More recently, Fox told the Telegraph he doesn’t regret saying that, further elaborating on the subject: “I’m very interested in how the world is changing and how perceptions are changing. If you look at someone like Rupert Everett, he would say that talking about his sexuality really altered the course of his career. I think being able to say that you have a more rounded experience as a human being, whether it be through sexuality, or whatever, is now perceived as a real advantage.”
However, Fox is off the market; since 2020 he’s been linked to actress Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education), who he met on the set of the British historical thriller The Delivered. And while Fox himself might be social media averse, Reynolds isn’t exactly shy about sharing some stunning photos of him on her Instagram—and for that, we are eternally grateful:
In any event, we’re thrilled that the rest of the world is jumping on the Freddie Fox bandwagon—that face card never declines—who was just announced as an addition to the season 2 cast of Netflix‘s The Sandman, playing trickster god Loki (brilliant casting).
In the meantime, we’re just glad he’s bringing more queerness to Westeros on House Of The Dragon. We’ll keep watching along in the hopes that Gwayne and Criston cut the tension and finally decide to joust. *wink, wink*
New episodes of House Of The Dragon air every Sunday on HBo and stream simultaneously on Max.
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