One of House of the Dragon stars, Olivia Cooke, who portrays Alicent Hightower in the series, immediately gathered enormous attention for her performance as the second wife to King Viserys I Targaryen. Despite the actress’s impressive acting portfolio prior to her role as Alicent, she has only recently begun to break into stardom after securing a part in the Game of Thrones world.
In a recent interview, Cooke admitted that she was shocked by the way other people began to perceive her after her episodes were broadcast. “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.” she shared.
Also Read: House of the Dragon Star Olivia Cooke Reveals Alicent’s Hardest Scene To Film
The Bates Motel actress continued, “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.”
Despite playing the antihero, Cooke gains her own fandom given her convincing portrayal as the Queen, who plays an integral part in the battle for the Iron Throne, mainly on behalf of her children. The season 1 finale indicates the beginning of the Targaryen civil war, also known as the Dance of the Dragons. And fans are excited to see what happens next in Cooke’s Alicent.
The first season of House of the Dragon is streaming on HBO. You might also like: House of the Dragon Actor Tackles the Meaning of Controversial Foot Scene Between Alicent and Larys
