House Of The Dragon: Emma D'Arcy And Olivia Cooke Talk Their Takes On Rhaenyra And Alicent

gamerant.com:

The new Princess and the Queen have spoken out about their roles in House of the Dragon. Actress Olivia Cooke, who portrays an older version Alicent Hightower, and non-binary actor Emma D'Arcy, who portrays Rhaenyra Targaryen, recently sat down and discussed their approaches to understanding their characters.

While House of the Dragon spent half its season with Emily Carey as Alicent and Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra, fans will now be taken forward ten years in time, where they will see an embittered Alicent and a harried Rhaenyra, who chafes more than ever at the expectations of the court. While Alcock and Carey embodied the naivety of these two young women as they finally take their places at court, newHouse of the Dragon footage has teased the cast change. D'Arcy and Cooke portray the two as veterans of the Game of Thrones, friends who once were as close as sisters turned into bitter enemies by their political aspirations.

House of the Dragon Averaging 29 Million Viewers Per Episode

Sitting down with Entertainment Weekly, the two extensively discussed how they feel their characters have changed in the intervening years since House of the Dragon episode 5, «We Light the Way,» and stated that they were specifically instructed not to consult Carey and Alcock on their portrayals. In an enlightening moment, D'Arcy elucidates her take on Rhaenyra, who they feel is attempting to push at the boundaries of womanhood, and who is all too aware that her privilege lacks power. “I'm interested in all gender questions," D'Arcy says. ”I think to say she's gender-questioning would be too extreme because the language doesn't exist. But I think she is someone who's pushing at the edges of womanhood and has a really decisive, interrogative eye