The “Game of Thrones” spinoff seems set to surpass or at least match the original in terms of showcasing nudity

“House of the Dragon,” the highly anticipated spinoff to HBO’s wildly popular “Game of Thrones,” already has people wondering if the series will match the original in terms of scope and quality. On one ground, however, “House of the Dragon” has it covered: According to star Matt Smith, the show matches the original’s penchant for nudity and explicit scenes, which he questioned as being gratuitous.

“You do find yourself asking, ‘Do we need another sex scene?’” Smith said in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. “And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we do.’ I guess you have to ask yourself: ‘What are you doing? Are you representing the books, or are you diluting the books to represent the time [we’re living in]?’ And I actually think it’s your job to represent the books truthfully and honestly, as they were written.”

Asked if he also has his share of sex scenes, Smith laughed and responded, “Yeah — slightly too much, if you ask me.”

Set two centuries prior to the events of “GoT,” the series — based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” — tells the story of House Targaryen. Smith will portray Prince Daemon Targaryen, the uncle to heir Rhaenyra. Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno and Rhys Ifans also star in the 10-episode drama, which is set to debut Aug. 21.

Smith is not the first cast member to discuss the world’s no-holds-barred sexual content: “GoT” star Emilia Clarke has since spoken about how uncomfortable filming her nude scenes had been (completed prior to industry-wide intimacy coordinators), as has Gemma Whelan. The series has also faced scrutiny for its intense portrayal of sexual violence against women.