As House of the Dragon returns for its second season, star Olivia Cooke has shared insights about the show’s production and her experience.
In a recent interview with Elle magazine, Cooke discussed the pressure of starring in the first Game of Thrones spinoff. “We desperately wanted it to be well-received because we’d worked so hard on it,” she said, noting the concern following the mixed reception to Game of Thrones’ final season.
Cooke mentioned feeling nervous about the increased attention, but found it “actually been okay.” She added that interest peaks when the show airs but “dies back down again” between seasons.
Regarding season 2, Cooke described it as a smoother experience now that the cast is more established. However, she revealed that a particularly intense sex scene was cut from the final edit. According to Cooke, showrunner Ryan Condal felt it wasn’t adding to the story or characters, though she “disagree[d] with slightly.”
“It was messy as fuck,” Cooke said of the sex scene, involving her character Alicent Hightower, whose intricate schemes to hold onto power have sometimes aligned with bedroom shenanigans. “It wasn’t beautiful, and that was really fun to do.”
The scene, which she also called “animalistic” and “carnal,” was cut by showrunner Ryan Condal because he felt it didn’t advance what the audience already knew. “I think Ryan said we weren’t learning any more about the characters, which I disagree with slightly, but it’s okay,” Cooke added, in way to indicate there are no hard feelings. “It’s his show.”
Cooke noted that the remaining intimate scenes involving her character, Alicent Hightower, feel like they’re “telling a story.” This comes amid ongoing discussions about how the Game of Thrones franchise handles sensitive scenes.
The actress’s comments offer a glimpse into the decision-making process behind the show’s more controversial elements as it continues to develop its complex cast of characters in its second season.