The intricate and tumultuous world of House Targaryen is expanding in the second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel. As the storyline flings its characters across Westeros, the tightly-knit cast finds themselves separated, filming individual storylines. Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, expressed the emotional impact of this separation at the show’s New York premiere on Monday. (16 June 2024)
“So much of us making the first series, well for me, was falling in love with them — with Matt, with Liv, with other members of the cast,” D’Arcy shared, reflecting on the camaraderie built during the first season. This season, however, the House Targaryen civil war sees Rhaenyra, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), and their forces at Dragonstone facing off against Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and her children, leading to more isolated filming schedules.
A Shifting Dynamic
D’Arcy described the experience of filming season two without Smith and Cooke as “kind of lonely.” Despite this, they found excitement in the ever-evolving narrative. “There’s so many beautiful actors on the show, it’s an ever-mutating thing. Certainly, I think it’ll make the active viewership kind of more exciting because there are so many parts to the series that I’ve not had the chance to watch yet. So I get to watch as sort of a pure fan, these other narrative strands.”
Missing the Co-Stars
The sentiment of loss was mutual among the cast. D’Arcy added, “It really makes you know what you lost, I suppose — every time we do get to work [together], it’s a great privilege and very exciting and very thrilling and nourishes something because it sort of feels old. So much of us making the first series, well for me, was falling in love with them — with Matt, with Liv, with other members of the cast — so anytime you get joy in that is a treat. But shows have to move on, I think that’s what keeps it exciting, and there are different gravitational pulls this season for [Rhaenyra].”
Daemon’s Journey
Matt Smith echoed D’Arcy’s feelings, discussing how Daemon’s path diverges significantly this season. “It was a shame, I missed them terribly because I love being around them; not only are they a wonderful actor, they’re a wonderful person to sort of knock about with every day. So I missed them, but it was what the story required. Daemon is off on his own path trying to figure things out, kind of head first into the dark hole of his own consciousness, into the abyss, and I think Rhaenyra feels a great sense of betrayal.”
Alicent’s Struggle
On the other side of the conflict, Olivia Cooke also experienced the absence of her co-star Paddy Considine, who played King Viserys in season one. His death set the stage for the war, marking a significant shift in the series’ dynamic.
As House of the Dragon continues to explore the intricate power struggles within House Targaryen, the evolving relationships and individual journeys of its characters promise a thrilling and emotionally charged second season. The separation of the cast, while challenging, adds a layer of depth and anticipation for viewers eagerly awaiting the next chapter of this epic saga.
