Is transphobia fuelling the outrage over Abigail Thorn's performance as Sharako in House of the Dragon Season 3? Fans say 'grifters found out she was trans'

After House of the Dragon Season 3 premiered on June 21, 2026, a highly engaged X post went viral on June 23, 2026 which described Abigail Thorn’s performance as Sharako Lohar as “the worst acting I’ve ever seen on HBO” and questioned the casting. The critique rapidly accumulated thousands of interactions. A direct reply from another user on June 24, countered that negativity targeted an otherwise strong showing because “the grifters found out she was trans.”


This exchange ignited widespread discussion blending technical critiques with representation debates. In George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, Sharako Lohar is male. The series cast British trans actress and YouTuber Abigail Thorn while preserving masculine pronouns and Triarchy affiliation, giving the character substantial presence in Season 3’s Battle of the Gullet premiere and subsequent episodes.

Fan comments on X and related platforms capture a fragmented audience. Negative feedback was abundant and specific. Users called the acting “dogshit,” “cringey,” “hammy,” “wooden,” and “forced,” citing unnatural facial expressions, off timing, and a tone resembling sketch comedy rather than prestige drama. A user commented-

"True . Wokeness is driving HBO down. Imagine this person in the sopranos. Phil would have personally killed him with a baseball bat"


Remarks included “made me wanna turn it off,” “nauseatingly bad,” “Temu Brienne of Tarth,” and complaints that the character felt grating, annoying, or disproportionately prominent. Some book readers tied dissatisfaction to source deviations, while others referenced perceived “DEI hire” or gimmicky masculine presentation.

Many emphasised forming opinions independently: “I had no clue the actor was trans… performance stood out as dull, awkward”; “didn’t even know she was trans when I came to the same conclusion”; “thought it was terrible acting lol.” Aggressive replies led defenders to cite profiles as evidence of bias.

"Her acting was bad, voice was terrible, face was weird.. everything about her was just off" - said another user

Positive and defensive responses were equally passionate. Supporters praised Thorn for “cooking,” delivering intensity, swagger, and memorable one-liners that generated real engagement. Comments noted she “stole every scene,” captured Lohar’s pig-headed energy effectively, and ranked the performance among highlights despite faction opposition.

"Actually she did good acting and its just a one episode and you can't judge that person with single episode" - wrote one fan


"I was actually kinda shocked how well she carried her voice shouting orders. Not bad, frankly." - said another fan

A fan countered this backlash saying how users on X are hating on Abigail's performance because of her trans identity-

The user also justified in the comments, saying- "She played the character as it was written, I was honestly shocked to log on and see so many hate tweets about it, the internet dogpile is for a very specific reason and it’s not her acting ability"

A fan replied to this - "Lol no. Regardless of being trans, they're a horrible f**king actor. Everything bout that person's acting was atrocious"

Abigail Thorn, born April 24, 1993, launched Philosophy Tube in 2013 to provide free philosophy education following UK tuition fee increases. The channel grew to over a million subscribers with accessible, left-leaning content linking theory to politics. In January 2021, Thorn came out as a transgender woman in videos including Coming Out As Trans and Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story, which gained significant attention. She has advocated for transgender healthcare and liberation.

Her acting credits expanded post-coming out, including The Acolyte and House of the Dragon. Thorn has discussed auditioning for Lohar, creative input, and the joy of embodying a fun, unapologetic character. She reflected on initial fears that transitioning might derail her career, yet opportunities flourished. Promotion included red-carpet appearances and personal touches like a niece-made Lego minifigure.


Lohar serves as Triarchy pirate commander with multiple wives, embodying defiance, vengeful drive, and battlefield swagger. In the Season 3 premiere’s colossal Battle of the Gullet, Lohar rallies fleets with commanding one-liners like “Hold the course and f***ing row!” and vows targeting Corlys Velaryon (the Sea Snake). The arc builds to visceral action and a grisly death by strangulation, where Thorn portrayed shifting emotions from confidence to fear and acceptance.

Thorn described the role as a “gift,” allowing her to invent aspects of the character beyond the books’ minor figure. She bulked up for battle scenes, collaborated with stunt teams, and drew inspiration for movement. Castmates reportedly congratulated her on stealing scenes, and outlets highlighted her memorable impact amid the chaos.

Showrunners of House of the Dragon gender-swapped Lohar for the screen while maintaining core traits. This decision, alongside expanded screen time in condensed seasons, tested audience tolerance for changes. Thorn’s preparation included physical training and embracing Lohar’s distinctive aesthetic, such as fear-inducing costuming. The Battle of the Gullet represented one of the series’ largest action sequences, placing extra demands on performers.


Interviews reveal Thorn’s enthusiasm for portraying a character who has “fun” in a grim narrative, contrasting with more restrained roles.


The evidence from circulating discussions supports a mixed picture rather than a single explanation. Transphobia is a documented dynamic in online fandom and can amplify scrutiny of trans performers in visible roles. The “grifters found out she was trans” framing acknowledges this possibility, and some aggressive replies appear motivated by identity rather than craft. High-visibility casting for trans actors frequently attracts disproportionate negativity rooted in prejudice.

At the same time, performance-specific criticisms are detailed and widespread- wooden deliveries, overdone expressions, timing issues, and tonal mismatch with the series’ gravity. Numerous viewers claimed they reached negative conclusions during initial viewing, before learning Thorn’s background. Some supporters of trans visibility still noted execution shortcomings. The character’s expanded screen time and book deviation added layers of dissatisfaction for certain fans.

Neither explanation fully accounts for all reactions. Legitimate craft concerns coexist with instances where identity likely coloured reception. Reducing the backlash solely to transphobia dismisses substantive feedback; attributing it entirely to poor performance ignores platform patterns and documented bias.


Stream House of the Dragon Season 3 new episodes on HBO and Max every Sundays at 9pm ET.