Olivia Cooke Reflects on Unseen ‘House of the Dragon’ Scene and Bond with Co-Star Emma D’Arcy

Actress Reveals Details of a Deleted Intimate Scene and Highlights the Importance of On-Set Relationships

In a recent interview with Elle, Olivia Cooke, who portrays Alicent Hightower in HBO’s fantasy series “House of the Dragon,” opened up about a sex scene she filmed that was ultimately cut from the show. Describing the scene as “animalistic” and “carnal,” Cooke shared her thoughts on its exclusion.

“It was messy as fuck. It wasn’t beautiful, and that was really fun to do,” Cooke said. Although she enjoyed filming the scene, showrunner Ryan Condal decided it didn’t add enough to the character development. “I think Ryan said we weren’t learning any more about the characters, which I disagree with slightly, but it’s okay. It’s his show.”

In the first episode of Season 2, viewers see a scene where Fabien Frankel’s character, Criston Cole, is pleasuring Alicent. Cooke had initially expected more intimate scenes for her character but felt satisfied with their portrayal.

“I thought there’d be way more, 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,” she noted. “It feels like we’re telling a story.”

The interview also touched on the strong bond between Cooke and her co-star Emma D’Arcy. D’Arcy expressed how essential Cooke has become in their life, despite the relatively short duration of their acquaintance.

“It’s funny to talk about a friendship that is so fundamental in your life,” D’Arcy said. “The thing I find strange is to realize that I suppose we haven’t known each other that long in broad terms, but she’s a pillar in my life. I would have found this a challenging experience if Liv was not on it.”