Matt Smith, star of 'House of the Dragon,' argues against trigger warnings on TV shows: "Isn't being shocked the point?"

Matt Smith, an actor, contended that trigger warnings on TV shows could spoil the viewer's enjoyment.

Smith criticized the concept of trigger warnings and said during an interview with The Times, "Isn't being shocked, surprised, stirred the point?"

"It is a shame to have too much policing of stories and fear of bringing them out due to a certain climate. I am unsure if I support trigger warnings."

Daemon Targaryen, portrayed by Smith, is the lead character in the "House of the Dragon" prequel to "Game of Thrones."

"Isn’t being shocked, surprised, stirred the point?" — Matt Smith

The Targaryen family, who ruled Westeros, is the focus of the popular television show's storyline.

The original series is set about 200 years before the events of the thrilling series.

When asked if he wanted to play polarizing people, Smith responded, "Absolutely! That's the whole point."

"It is crucial to convey morally challenging narratives, especially in the present era. While it is acceptable to experience discomfort or unease while viewing art or watching a performance, I am concerned that everything is being simplified and sanitized. We are informing viewers that they will be frightened before they have even watched anything."

The actor who portrayed "Starve Acre" admitted that as a child, he would frequently rent erotic thrillers from a nearby video store, including "Slither," "Basic Instinct," and "Disclosure."

""I watched 'Friday the 13th' when I was nine, which scarred me and ruined me," he admitted."

Smith portrayed the younger version of The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, in the first two seasons of "The Crown," from their marriage in 1947 to his coronation in 1953 and the birth of Prince Edward in 1963.

Other British actors have also been vocal about trigger warnings in projects.

Judi Dench expressed her view that sensitive individuals may opt to stay away from theater performances due to trigger warnings.

She questioned the importance of content advisories, wondering what the purpose of attending the theater is.

The theater can be shocking for sensitive individuals, but it serves a purpose in preparing people, as Dench explained in an interview with Radio Times magazine.

"Going to the theater is pointless if you're going to be warned about things that are in the play. Isn't the whole purpose of going to the theater to see something that you can be excited, surprised, or stimulated by? It's like being told that everyone dies at the end of "King Lear." I don't want to be told."