Olivia Cooke, star of HBO's House of the Dragon, has opened up about playing the divisive Alicent Hightower, dealing with hostile fans, and her working-class background. The 32-year-old actor, who grew up in Oldham, England, says her mother now jokes she is no longer working class after achieving success in the industry.
Dealing with vitriolic fans
Cooke revealed that some viewers have been verbally abusive towards her in person because of her character's actions. 'They want a picture with you, then afterwards, they'll say, "I fucking hate your character, by the way," or "Your character's a cunt,"' she said. Cooke responds by laughing and suggesting they delete the photo, adding, 'I just try and take it in my stride.' She deleted her Instagram account six months ago, partly due to seeing 'looksmaxxers' promoting physical transformations that distorted her self-image.
Alicent's journey and fan interpretations
Cooke noted that Alicent has become a focal point for some queer women and non-binary fans. 'Alicent is a product of the patriarchy,' she said, describing her character's arc as 'an unravelling of everything that she's learned, and she's becoming liberated.' She stopped short of calling it a queer experience but acknowledged relatability. One reviewer called Alicent 'the saddest woman in Westeros,' though Cooke disagrees, saying, 'I don't think she really has time to reflect on how she is feeling inside.'
Working-class roots and arts funding
Cooke began acting at age eight at Oldham Theatre Workshop, which also nurtured actors like Anna Friel and Suranne Jones. She credits the workshop with giving her opportunities, but worries about diminishing arts funding. 'There is a huge amount of talent to be found in these places, but you need to fund them,' she said. 'Without groups like that, TV, film and theatre all starts to look the same. It just becomes completely homogenised, and it's fucking boring.' She expressed disappointment that the Labour government has not prioritised arts funding, and emphasised the importance of drama workshops for developing social skills and countering the 'manosphere.'
Upcoming projects and House of the Dragon future
Cooke has three films in the pipeline: horrors Visitation (playing a nun) and Brides (a gothic romance), and a Patricia Highsmith biopic directed by Anton Corbijn. House of the Dragon is set to end with a fourth season. Cooke hinted that Alicent might survive, as her character lives until the end of George RR Martin's book Fire & Blood. 'So good behaviour-willing, I won't get the chop,' she joked.
