Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'House Of The Dragon' Star Was Told To Play Character Like 'Woman For Trump'—And She Took A Hard Pass

'House Of The Dragon' Star Was Told To Play Character Like 'Woman For Trump'—And She Took A Hard Pass
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

House of the Dragon actress Olivia Cooke—who plays the older Alicent Hightower—says she pushed back after the show's directors told her to play her character “like a woman for Trump.”

Cooke says the suggestion left a bad taste in her mouth and she didn't want to pay former Republican President Donald Trump—or his controversial and grifting family—any more mind.


Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, she said:

“I just didn’t want to give them any more mental real estate than they already had."
"So I tried to find a different route into her, but I could see what they were saying with this complete indoctrination and denial of her own autonomy and rights."
"I just couldn’t be asked to go down that road.”

Cooke disagreed with that characterization of Alicent considering Emily Carey—who played the younger version of the character—portrayed a young woman who is used by the men around her for their personal political gain.

“Alicent has been completely bred to breed, and to breed powerful men. That’s her only function in this life."
“She can tell herself that she’s going to sway and nurture and persuade in a very womanly, feminine way, but it’s all f**king bullsh*t. Unless you’re fighting the men, you’ll never be heard."
"It’s learning to live within this straightjacket of oppression. How do I move inch by inch every single day to loosen the straps?”

She stressed it is important to look at the character through a "humanitarian" lens, noting she's done some "f**king despicable stuff" at a great personal cost.

"But then you’ve got to think, she’s trying to protect her son. She’s trying to uphold the patriarchy. She’s trying to uphold the legitimacy of the crown."
"All these things that she feels are so much bigger than she is. I think that’s why when she can’t control that, she turns to faith more as some sort of tangible element of control, because she doesn’t have any in her life whatsoever.”

Many praised Cooke for standing her ground and offered their own observations on the character.



Cooke rose to prominence after starring in Bates Motel alongside Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga.

In the years since, she's received critical acclaim for performances in films like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Thoroughbreds, and Sound of Metal.

In addition to her role on House of the Dragon, Cooke stars as an MI5 agent in the AppleTV+ series Slow Horses, which has been praised for refreshing the espionage genre.

More from People/donald-trump

Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Lauren Boebert speaking to Alex Stein
Prime Time with Alex Stein/Blaze Media

Lauren Boebert Casts Doubt On Moon Landing During Wild Interview With Conspiracy Theorist

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert was criticized after she seemingly agreed with the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was faked in a wide-ranging interview with conservative conspiracy theorist Alex Stein.

The segment began with the duo casting doubt on nuclear weapons—Boebert even joked about needing "tin foil"—and moved into weirder territory when Stein praised Boebert for "vibing" with him on the topic of the moon landing. Conspiracy theorists have long alleged the moon landing was fabricated by NASA in what they claim was an elaborate hoax.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rosie O'Donnell; Oprah Winfrey
Simon Ackerman/Getty Images; Ernesto Ruscio/GC Images

Rosie O'Donnell Calls Out Oprah For Attending Jeff Bezos' Wedding In Scathing Poem

Among the various celebrity hangers-on who attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Venice wedding, the one that seemed to generate the most controversy was Oprah Winfrey.

After all, a woman known for her progressive politics whose entire ethos is about teaching people how to be their best selves, attending the wedding of man who directly funded a fascist regime dismantling our country before our eyes doesn't exactly add up.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa Murkowski
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Lisa Murkowski Slammed After Criticizing Massive Budget Bill She Just Voted For

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was slammed after she claimed that President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill is "not there yet" despite casting the deciding vote to narrowly pass it before sending it back to the House.

In a marathon voting session, the Senate narrowly passed the legislation in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman listening to her boyfriend play guitar
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Things People Initially Found Attractive About Their Partner That Now Annoy Them

Being in a relationship can be wonderful, but it's not without its ups and downs.

In order for it to work, we have to allow it to grow and change over time rather than being locked forever into what it was when we first started dating our person.

Keep ReadingShow less