Iwan Rheon, known for playing the super scary Ramsay Bolton on Game of Thrones, is getting lots of praise for his new character Tenax on the Peacock show Those About to Die. Critics say this might be Rheon’s best role yet, showing a more layered bad guy.
Tenax, who owns a tavern in Ancient Rome, is very different than Ramsay. While both want power, Tenax seems more calculating. He can show mercy and think before acting, unlike the crazy Ramsay. This lets Rheon flex his acting muscles more.
In an interview with Variety, Rheon even compared the two dudes. He thinks Tenax would win in a fight against Ramsay! Tenax stays cool-headed, where Ramsay would just blow it. Rheon added Ramsay is “just an idiot” who’s all psychopath, no feelings. But Tenax has empathy, even if he doesn’t openly show it.
Playing Tenax lets Rheon explore a villain you can almost understand or root for sometimes. Tenax is more focused on info and strategy than brutality. Anthony Hopkins also stars as Vespasian in the 10-episode series directed by Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner.
Viewers are diving into Those About to Die now on Peacock and Amazon Prime. Fans will probably remember Rheon’s work as Tenax alongside Ramsay. It proves he can make antagonists multidimensional through complex performances. Rheon continues showing his range as an actor with great roles.
