'House of the Dragon' star Paddy Considine says that George R.R. Martin texted him that he is the best version of King Viserys

• Warning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season one, episode eight.
• Paddy Considine said "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin loved his portrayal of Viserys.

"House of the Dragon" star Paddy Considine said that George R.R. Martin once texted him that his portrayal of Viserys Targaryen was better than his own version of the character in the "Game of Thrones" books.

Considine starred in the first eight episodes of the hit HBO show as King Viserys, a noble king who struggles to keep his kingdom together while his health deteriorates.

In a new interview with GQ, Considine said that Martin, who wrote the book the series is based on, approved his version of the character.

"I got a text message that simply said: 'Your Viserys is better than my Viserys,'" the 49-year-old actor recalled. "It was from George R.R. Martin. And I thought: 'That'll do it. Thanks for trusting me.'"

Martin also publicly praised Considine's portrayal of Viserys during a fan Q&A video shared on Twitter ahead of the series premiere.

"King Viserys Targaryen I, as portrayed by Paddy Considine on the show, is better than the way I wrote King Viserys in 'Fire & Blood,'" Martin said. "He's stronger, he's still conflicted, but he's more of a tragic figure. He has King Lear aspects to him, if I may dare [say] that, and that's made his portrayal really interesting to watch in the show."

During the GQ interview, Considine also defended Viserys' compassionate rule over Westeros, which fans and characters in the series see as a sign of weakness.

"There's this perception that he's weak, which I think is absolutely nonsense. He's just too compassionate for the job. I think the sense of duty is what got to him," Considine said. "What I found really interesting about him was that he wasn't corrupted by power. He just wanted peace. He wanted people to be happy at the end of the day, but that makes him weak."

He added: "So what would have made him more relatable — if he was a dictator? If he was a tyrant? Would that be more satisfying? It's not who he is."

Episode eight director Geeta Patel confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that Viserys died at the end of the episode, meaning it is likely Considine's final episode on the show.

"House of the Dragon" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. E.T. on HBO.