The Game of Thrones television series brought recognition and a humble reaction to House of the Dragon actor Olivia Cooke, despite the fact that she had already delivered a few standout performances. Cooke co-stars in the critically and commercially acclaimed Game of Thrones prequel alongside Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, and Paddy Considine. Cooke portrays Queen Alicent Hightower, an elder version of the character who first appears in episode six of the program. Queen Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Otto Hightower, who is portrayed by Rhys Ifans. Although a release date for season two of House of the Dragon has not been announced, production is expected to begin in the early months of 2023.
Actress Olivia Cooke discusses her newfound stardom from the Game of Thrones prequel series in an interview with Bazaar. Even though she has been in the profession for ten years, the celebrity says that she was taken aback by the popularity, believing that this was different and that she was now exposed to an immediate visibility that she had never experienced before when strolling down the street. The complete text of Cooke’s remarks regarding her fame from House of the Dragon is shown below:
“It’s different, for sure. When my episodes aired, I was subject to an immediate visibility that I hadn’t experienced before when I was walking down the street. I’m so naïve, but I think I was purposely so because I didn’t want to confront this anxiety. The Game of Thrones fans have been quite noisy, and having to block your ears and eyes from that has been a challenge. It’s like the school playground – you want to know what everyone is saying about you and what’s been said. It’s mad because what they’re talking about is this fantasy version of me that doesn’t exist whatsoever. People talk about you like they know you, and it’s just so odd. All you can do is be as authentic as possible.”
What lies ahead for Olivia Cooke’s portrayal of Queen Alicent Hightower?
House of the Dragon, which chronicles the civil struggle among a split Targaryen dynasty, has been revived for a second season, as previously mentioned. The two factions are the greens, headed by Queen Alicent in Cooke, and the blacks, popularly known as the party of the princess, headed by Rhaenyra Targaryen in Emma D’Darcy. The Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen family’s civil war, which is hinted at in the House of the Dragon season 1 finale, may very well be its starting point.
According to the George R.R. Martin novel Fire and Blood, which served as the inspiration for House of the Dragon, the vengeful Rhaenyra did plan retribution for the blood spilled in season 1, episode 10, “The Black Queen,” thus viewers might expect an extension of familial devastation. Future seasons of House of the Dragons viewers may also anticipate the complicated bond between Alicent and Rhaenyra, which dates back to their early years, to play a role as the drama builds to the dragons’ demise in Westeros. Viewers should expect duels and conflicts that can have them pulling for both sides given how the program has so far portrayed Alicent, who is a young, multifaceted character affected by the malice of her father.
The dynamic will resemble that of “The Spoils of War,” episode 4 of season 7 of Game of Thrones. This episode featured a confrontation between Jaime Lannister and Bronn and Daenerys’ overwhelming Dothraki, headed by her and Drogon, which left viewers anxiously anticipating the outcome. With both sides having dragons fighting alongside them as they enter season 2, the remainder of House of the Dragon will undoubtedly inherit this intricacy and will actually have greater firepower.