‘House of the Dragon’: Harry Collett Sends Emotional Message to Jace Fans

House of the Dragon hosted a Dragon Solstice party in New York City to celebrate (and screen) the Season 3 premiere on June 21. DJing the event was none other than Prince Jacaerys Velaryon himself, Harry Collett. TV Insider connected with Collett at the event to get his reaction to watching the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere with a big audience of Game of Thrones fans. Warning: House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 spoilers ahead!

The Season 3 opener brought the Battle of the Gullet from George R.R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood to the screen. The deadliest naval battle in Westerosi history was predestined to claim the life of one Targaryen prince, but even fans who knew this death was coming were shocked by the way it happened. Fans gathered on the Pier 17 rooftop venue for an outdoor screening of Season 3 Episode 1.

The event kicked off with a river cruise on a sailboat with Targaryen sails and a Pride flag (the screening was also a Pride event), and then Pier 17 had its own Iron Throne for fans to take photos with. Exclusive show merchandise was given out, and the lawn was scattered with giant bean bag chairs. There was a dance floor as well, and attendees were treated to DJ sets from Mister Sunday and Collett.

Hunter Abrams / HBO

When the episode finally started, Collett sat in the back of the audience to watch their reactions. When war broke out in the Gullet (a strip of water between Dragonstone and King’s Landing), Rhaenyra (Emma D’arcy) prepared to fly into battle. Jace ordered her knights to keep her locked in her room so he could protect her by fighting in her place.

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The young prince convinced his betrothed, Baela (Bethany Antonia), to go with him, but they never expected Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), Baela’s dragon-less sister, to arrive on a wild dragon.

Rhaena tried her best to tame Sheepstealer, but the dragon was uncontrollable. It attacked the wrong ships, killing some of Rhaenyra’s soldiers, and it attacked Jace’s dragon, Vermax, out of fear. Baela and Moondancer tried their best to help, but Sheepstealer’s interference led to Vermax being shot down by the Triarchy forces.

Jace broke free from his saddle before being drowned by his dragon, but he was shot dead with three arrows when he emerged from the water.

Backstage after the screening, Collett told us what it was like to watch a crowd of fans react to his character’s tragic death.

Harry Collett DJs at the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere event, Dragon Solstice, on June 21 at Pier 17 in New York City (Hunter Abrams / HBO)

“It was absolutely crazy. I got a bit emotional,” Collett told TV Insider. “I’ve seen it like five times and three times with crowd reactions, and that was the best time, I think. From the beginning, when they were cheering, I knew it was going to be a good evening. I’m speechless, to be honest.”

Collett was shocked by some of the live reactions, especially when Rhaena arrived. He was most surprised by the cheers that came “when Sheepstealer was burning Velaryon ships.”

“I don’t think it really clocked in their mind what was happening there,” he laughed.

Call it strange, but he was the most excited for the crowd to see his death scene.

 

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“That never gets old,” he said, adding, “Even Tom Glynn-Carney…he knows the script, and he watched it, and he was like, ‘It’s shocking even watching the episode.’ So I feel like yeah, it’s just a brutal way to go but [I’m] very happy.”

Collett then gave us some parting words for Jace: “Thank you for being a part of my life for five years. It’s been an absolute dream playing you, and what a joy we’ve had. We’ve made friends for life on this show, and the fans are on your side.”

Collett says his best day on set across all three seasons of House of the Dragon was his last day.

“Everybody came, even if they were filming in a different studio; Matt [Smith] came, Emma [D’arcy] came. Yeah, pretty much everyone who could came to the studio, and that was really emotional. It was like a final send-off, and it was just such a beautiful moment. There [are] many beautiful moments. I could sit here for hours and talk about it.”

Collett is grateful to have watched this episode with fans, and he was happy to share his love of music to entertain them before the episode kicked off.

Hunter Abrams / HBO

“It was really cool,” he said of DJing the event. “I tried to make it as singsongy as possible. I normally go for the heaviest stuff when I’m at home, but tonight I made it quite singsongy. I also find the whole concept quite funny that I’m hyping people up and then obviously it’s such an impactful episode, but yeah, what a great time.”

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“I had my good friend MK [DJ Marc Kinchen] with me,” Collett continued. “I introduced him a couple of songs in. He’s helped me within my music career, so I wanted to say thank you. And he’s a big fan of the show, so I brought him along with me. He was insane. That’s also something to remember from tonight.”

Collett shared what he’ll remember most from looking out at the crowd during his set: “I think just the whole idea of people having such a good time. I’m happy when I see other people happy, so people jumping for joy and enjoying it. It was like not caring what people think. I think that’s made my year, to be honest.”

The action only builds from here as House of the Dragon Season 3 continues.

“I know what happens. It’s it doesn’t slow down. Jace’s death isn’t the end,” Collett teases. “It opens the floodgates to chaos. The fans aren’t going to be disappointed. It’s not going to go down from here. It’s just only going to up.”

House of the Dragon, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO, Streaming on HBO Max