House of the Dragon's Steve Toussaint Reveals What He Thinks Is 'the Sexiest Thing Ever' (Exclusive)

Playing Lord Coryls Velaryon in the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, has been a career highlight for British actor Steve Toussaint. "To be in one of the biggest shows in the world at this
stage in my journey is perfect because I’ve been around the block a few times,” says Toussaint, 59, of his role on the HBO fantasy drama. “Had this happened at 21 or 22, I might have been a horrendous person!”

As for what he finds sexy? “A woman who knows what she’s doing, who is confident and assertive,” he says. “That’s the sexiest thing ever.”

What was the best part about playing the role of Lord Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon?
I think the cast and crew, particularly the crew because you have to bounce off of them. You get to work with people that you have seen and admired, like for example Eve Best who plays my wife. We just became such good friends and she’s just a great actress and a great person to work with, but suddenly there’s Paddy Considine, there’s Matt Smith and I know who they are and they are really lovely people. I think that’s it, that feeling when you get up in the morning and go, ‘Oh yeah I’ve got to go to work with these great people,’ that’s been the joy of it.

How about the most challenging?
Nothing really, it’s acting, it’s not that hard.

The locs?
Actually no, it’s a funny thing. So most of the people who have to wear wigs, they have to spend a long time in the chair. If you were going to wear a wig they would have to plait your hair first, put a bald cap on and then they put the wig on. But I’ve already got a bald head and the beard is my own! I’m always wary of actors saying, "Oh that was so difficult," but in the scheme of things... we’re not going down mines.

If you were a member of a royal family, what perk do you think you'd most enjoy?
Free stuff! I can imagine if [King] Charles walked in here now people would bend over backwards to give him free pints or whatever.

How have fans responded to you?
On the whole it’s been positive. At the beginning there were some people who weren’t pleased with someone who looked like me playing the part and they were keen to let me know that they weren’t pleased and there were some things on social media — people contacting me saying "You shouldn’t be doing this" and "you’ve spoilt everything." And people called me certain names.

I was asked like this, about this experience before the show came out. I said that people had abused me and then people said "Stop looking for racism where there isn’t any." And I’m like, if you call me [the N-word], I think that’s racist, I kind of do. I am not an expert on it but I am used to having lived with it my whole life. ...

Idris Elba is a friend of mine and when he joined the Marvel universe, he received some of that. I worked with John Boyega and when he was the first face you saw in the reboot of Star Wars, he received some of that. The black [Little Mermaid], the Lord of the Rings TV thing.. it’s there.

Did you expect it?
I had completely and utterly forgotten about it so when it happened, I wasn’t shocked ... But I had forgotten because in the joy of getting the job and all your friends are going, "Oh my God, it’s going to be great" and then it happens and you’re like, "Oh, yeah."

What has been great is that when the show came out, the response has been great and very positive. I have actually had comments on social media from people saying they were dubious, but saying, "I love what you did."

If you watched it and didn’t like it, that’s fine, that’s your prerogative but like I said there are shows that I have watched and I don’t particularly like, I just don’t feel the need to go on social media and attack the person in them. As we’ve been going around the world promoting it, it’s been all love and positivity, I’m so happy to be a part of it.

If you weren’t an actor, what would you be doing?
Nothing! I used to say that I would like to be a photographer but I don’t have any talent, which I discovered. I would like to think that I would be doing something creative. In the last few years, I’ve got into writing. I hate writing but I do have some interesting stories that I think would be worth telling.

Current guilty pleasure?
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. Just pleasure. If it makes you happy, why are you guilty?

Current pleasure, then?
This whiskey is nice! I’m watching a lot of TV at the moment, I’ve only just caught up with things. Presumed Innocent is very good, I watched a thing called Showtrial, a BBC drama, there’s a film coming out soon called Anora, it’s dramatic and very funny. I’m a geek for good acting.

What does a perfect date night entail?
Anything where my partner is there, that’s perfect for me. My partner is away at the moment, she’s working abroad [as a producer]. I was thinking the other day as I sat there with a beer, sports on the TV, going, "Ah this is great" — which it is — but actually I just like to be around her. When she is around, it’s perfect.

What do you find sexy?
A woman who is good at what she does and doesn’t know it, that’s the sexiest thing ever. You can watch someone writing or whatever it is and they are engrossed in what they are doing, I find that incredibly sexy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bloke, so tight sweaters, short skirts and red lipstick is still kinda cool too. But that thing of a woman who knows what she is doing, who is confident and assertive, I find that very sexy.

When did you first realize you were famous?
I’m going to be frank with you. I don’t think that I am. My impression of what fame is, I don’t have that. I remember as a young man, being at Hackney Empire and Eddie Murphy was there, from Beverly Hills Cop he’s f---ing huge, people were screaming at him and climbing up walls to try and get at him and I was like, "I wouldn’t like that." I’m just a guy that’s in that show. I don’t feel famous. I like being able to do my job and go home.

What has kept you most grounded?
The swine that I keep around as my social circle. Like this, when I say to them I’m one of the 100 Sexiest Men, they’ve gone to go "F--- off" and I’m like, "Thanks, that’s the support I need." I'm just the guy who does that job,

There are moments when we’re promoting the show, walking down the red carpet and people are like, "Oh my God, Steve!" That’s great but then I just go home again and I have to put the bins out and make the bed. To be in one of the biggest shows in the world at this stage in my journey is perfect for me because I’ve been around the block a few times. Had this happened to me at 21 or 22, I might have been a horrendous person. I have seen the people who have gone up there and come back down again. I’m just enjoying the ride while it lasts.

Describe what you hope your life will look like in 10 years?
I would like to still be doing this, be acting and be active. I would love to be living in a warm country, boring people with my anecdotes. As long as I am happy and healthy.

Do you love it?
I do, even when I’m complaining, I love it. It’s the best job in the world.

What makes you most happy?
The people around me, I think I kind of feed off people, their energy. I want people around me that I like, that I enjoy being around and that’s what makes me happy. I like people around me that are fun, positive and smart.

I don’t have kids, I didn’t climb the high mountains and I didn’t invent anything so my legacy is the people whose lives I have touched. When I pop my clogs, I want people to go, "Yeah he was kinda nice to be around." That’s it. The people that surround me in both my work and social life are people I think that about. Human connection, that’s what makes me happy.