House of the Dragondoesn’t hold back when it comes to gruesome violence and sex, but, according to starOlivia Cooke,one messy scene didn’t make the final cut. Cooke stars as Alicent Hightower, one of the two matriarchal figures (alongside Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen) fighting for their sons’ place on the Iron Throne. In Season 1, Alicent was married to King Viserys (Paddy Considine), and was duty bound to provide him with heirs. But Season 2 has freed Alicent from her proverbial shackles, and she is now exploring her own desires.
House of the Dragon
Taking place about 172 years before the events ofGame of Thrones,House of the Dragontells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
Speaking toELLE, Cooke discussed the show’s open attitude to mature scenes, her anxiousness to appear in these scenes, and one moment that was left on the cutting room floor. Season 2 makes a bold choice of kickstarting the new season withAlicent alone with Ser Criston Cole(Fabien Frankel), highlighting the character’s newfound agency to explore what she finds pleasurable, free from marital duty. The first episode features two scenes like this, but a third was apparently shot, and didn’t make the final cut.
“It was messy as f*ck. It wasn’t beautiful, and that was really fun to do,” Cooke said, describing the deleted scene.
WhileGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragonare rife with such scenes, they are usually used to explore the emotions of the characters and further the plot, rather than to act as gratuitous and objectifying fan service. Cooke revealed that this was the reason her scene was cut, saying:
“I think Ryan [Condal, the showrunner] said we weren’t learning any more about the characters, which I disagree with slightly, but it’s okay. It’s his show.”
Olivia Cooke Thought There Would Be ‘Way More’ Explicit Scenes in House of the Dragon
Before officially signing on to star inHouse of the Dragon, Olivia Cooke felt nervous about thepotential number of nude scenesin HBO’s prequel series.Game of Thronesgarnered a reputation for the sheer number of these scenes, especially in its earlier seasons. Cooke believed this reputation would carry over toHouse of the Dragon.
However, the actress revealed she was surprised at how sex is used inHouse of the Dragonas a lens to explore characters’ growth and emotions. “I thought there’d be way more,” Cooke said. The few amorous scenes that did involve Alicent Hightower were shot under the supervision of the show’s intimacy coordinator, Vanessa Coffey. Cooke continued:
“And so I’m relieved that when it has been used for me, it’s showing Alicent being pleasured, which is amazing and doesn’t feel gratuitous. It feels like we’re telling a story.”
New Game of Thrones Spin-off Reveals First Look & Casting Update
HBO has revealed the first image from the new Game of Thrones spin-off show.
The first episode ofHouse of the Dragon’s second season aired on HBO and the Max streaming service last Sunday (June 16). The show’s return was met with rave reviews, currently standing at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a similarly strong audience score of 90%. Season 2 is diving head first into itsadaptation of the Dance of the Dragons, a bloody civil war which brought the Targaryen dynasty to its knees.
House of the Dragonreleases weekly on HBO and Max. Season 1 is available to stream on Max. Check out the latest trailer below:
