Home of the Dragon and Sport of Thrones are identified for grotesque deaths and oftentimes violent confrontations; there’s no ifs, ands or buts about that. Nevertheless, within the case of HOTD, we not often see Olivia Cooke’s character, Alicent Hightower, partake in mentioned violence. However in a uncommon second of rage throughout Season 1, she confronted her son, the eventual king, Aegon, and slapped him. Now, the actress has opened up about filming that second, revealing what it was like to truly slap her TV-son and why it made her really feel “terrible.”
Throwing it again to the Sport of Thrones spinoff, Cooke recalled this story to The i Paper throughout a dialogue about her new challenge on the 2025 TV schedule, The Girlfriend, and her profession to date. She defined that earlier than she really hit Glynn-Carney, it was made clear that he wished her to actually go for it. She mentioned:
I needed to slap Tom Glynn-Carney (who performed her character’s son, King Aegon) in Home of the Dragon. He mentioned: ‘Do it for actual!’ I wasn’t positive, however the stunt coordinator informed me: ‘It’s tremendous if he needs you to do it’… after which… I walloped him!
Making an informed guess, it could appear she’s referencing what occurs in Season 1, Episode 8 (which you’ll be able to stream with an HBO Max subscription). Nevertheless, it is price noting that in Episode 7, she does slap Aegon out of rage after Aemond misplaced his eye. However Glynn-Carney is not taking part in Aegon in that episode; it is a youthful actor.
So, going again to Episode 8, Alicent had simply discovered that Aegon had raped Dyana, and he or she went to confront him about it. She discovered him handed out in his mattress, and after slapping him, she says, “You might be no son of mine.” It’s a harsh second, and it leads to Aegon getting emotional and saying he can by no means impress his mother and father.
Cooke defined that once they filmed their scene collectively, she hit her fellow Home of the Dragon forged member so arduous, it “made him cry.” Whereas that appeared to be the plan, it shook her up a bit, as she defined:
I don’t know my very own energy! It was a slap that resonated throughout the land! It made him cry! I imply, that was the response that he’d wished for the cameras. However I felt terrible. It was hideous. I’ve at all times felt sick and wished to cry after doing any stunt work like that.
Again in 2022, Cooke informed this story to THR, specifying that it was throughout Episode 8, and noting that she “simply actually fucking went for it to the purpose the place it echoed right through the corridor.” She mentioned she was “fully taken out of the scene” as a result of she was attempting to not awkwardly snort, and famous that they solely did one or two takes.
It’s price noting, you possibly can’t see Alicent’s face within the shot in Episode 8; you solely see Aegon’s throughout the literal slap. Nevertheless, it cuts to Cooke instantly after as she delivers that heartbreaking “You might be no son of mine line.”
Each instances Alicent slapped Aegon, I took it as her ragefully attempting to slap some sense into him. The top of Season 1 is fraught with rigidity, as Viserys slowly dies and the origins of the Inexperienced vs. Black battle start to take kind. And that battle for the throne and the stress of who will sit in it subsequent plagues everybody, together with Alicent.
Really, the slaps had been visceral to observe, and figuring out it was visceral to movie makes it much more intense. I can’t say I blame Cooke for feeling “terrible” about it; hitting somebody wouldn’t be enjoyable. Nevertheless, all these emotions actually added to the second and helped make this tense scene between mom and son much more emotional.
Now, I’ll be curious to see what sort of intense moments we get when Home of the Dragon Season 3 comes out. I’m sure there shall be extra because the Targaryen struggle continues, and also you higher consider we’ll be speaking about them as they occur.