Cooke discussed with The Hollywood Reporter Alicent’s unsettling exchange with the handmaiden Dyana (Maddie Evans) after the girl was assaulted by her son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney). Given the sensitive subject matter and the physical movements required to slap her acting son without injuring him, the process becomes difficult for the Ready Player One actress to navigate.
“In episode eight, the scene with Dyana where she tells me that my son raped her … and then also, I had to hit Tom [Glynn-Carney] really hard in the scene. And Tom, being Tom, was like, ‘No, just hit me.’ The first go-around, I clipped him on his chin. And he was like, ‘No, just really wall at me,’ and I just really f**king went for it to the point where it echoed all the way through the hall, and my hand suddenly had a heartbeat.” Cooke narrated. Also Read: House of the Dragon Actor Tackles the Meaning of Controversial Foot Scene Between Alicent and Larys
The Thoroughbreds star also labeled the scene as a gross situation that her character has to be in. But also the scene where it reveals Alicent’s complexity as a human and mother. “It’s such a gross situation that Alicent has to be in because, if she really is propping up her son to be the heir to the throne, to believe this woman and to out him, the whole dynasty would come crumbling down.” said Cooke.
“You have to at that moment think about what Alicent herself truly stands for, and that’s for her children and for order. Her first thought is to love and protect her son as much as possible, which is so fucking grim. But at the same time, her humanity gets the better of her and she can’t help but really feel for this girl — but then an iron shield has to come in. There’s a task at hand, and that’s to, one, reprimand Aegon, but also to quiet anyone who knows. It was just such a grim scene to film, and it was an eerie, quiet, subdued atmosphere on set that day.” concluded the Bates Motel actress.
Due to her need for control and order, Alicent developed an obsession with the idea of acting morally uprightly and upholding one’s obligations, even if it meant she would not exhibit a pleasing, effective portrayal as a mother. Given that her father, Otto Hightower, had just groomed her into marrying King Vesarys in order to produce a male heir and revoke Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne, this prompted the two families to rally into war.
Cooke’s portrayal as Alicent had taken the television to storm given her endearing chemistry with on-screen rival and best friend D’Arcy who plays Rhaeynra. The first season of House of the Dragon is streaming on HBO.
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