George R.R. Martin’s Surprising Cameo In House Of The Dragon Season 2

August 15, 2025

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Despite his criticisms of House of the Dragon, author George R.R. Martin managed to make his way into season 2. The world of Game of Thrones originates from the mind of George R.R. Martin and his series, A Song of Ice & Fire. Fire & Blood is a companion piece that’s used as the basis for HOTD.

Martin was highly complimentary of House of the Dragon’s first season, but he was less thrilled about the sophomore run. In many cases, George R.R. Martin’s comments on HOTD season 2 were consistent with the portion of the fan base who had mixed reactions to the show’s adaptation of the Dance of the Dragons.

George R.R. Martin actually had a cameo once in his world before, but it was in the original Game of Thrones pilot that was scrapped. Somehow, Ed Sheeran and Aaron Rodgers made it into an aired adaptation of Martin’s work before he did, but his appearance was still honored in a unique way.

The Weirwood Tree In House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 Was Modeled After GRRM’s Face

Back at San Diego Comic-Con, prior to House of the Dragon season 1, George R.R. Martin joked that he wanted to be a severed head on one of his shows, and showrunner Ryan Condal responded by saying it could happen. Nothing has really become of this since, and Martin has stated he won’t cameo until he finishes The Winds of Winter.

In an attempt to pay tribute to Martin, the weirwood tree at Harrenhal was modeled to look like the prolific fantasy author. It’s incredibly easy to miss, but hard to ignore once you learn about it. In the video below, audiences can even see the author visiting the set to check it out himself.

It feels particularly special that he’s the face of the weirwood tree at Harrenhal. This is a location that’s centralized at a crucial strategic location in Westeros, making it important in practically every conflict in Martin’s world. The Harrenhal weirwood and the neighboring Gods Eye lake are also known as distinctly mystical settings.

GRRM’s House Of The Dragon Season 2 Criticisms Make A Real Cameo Unlikely

In Harrenhal, Rhaenyra before Daemon and his armies in House of the Dragon season 2 Episode 8

With Martin’s critiques of House of the Dragon in mind, it seems less likely he’ll directly appear on the show in the future. There’s still room for him to cameo on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or a future spin-off, but for now, this is the next best thing.

It’s been a year since Martin made those comments about House of the Dragon, and we have no idea whether he’s patched things up with HBO or Ryan Condal. That said, we’ll be excited to see him on a pike at some point, as long as it’s just prosthetic.