Back when HBO was promoting the first season of House of the Dragon, stars Emma D'Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen) and Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower) went viral for a clip where they shared their favorite drinks. D'Arcy likes a negroni sbabliato with prosecco in it. "Oh, stunning," Cooke replied. Cue the TikToks, the remixes, the tweets, and the articles about the history, function and composition of a negroni sbabliato with prosecco in it. It was one of those unpredictable viral moments you really couldn't plan for.
Now, the second season of House of the Dragon is almost here, and D'Arcy and Cooke are back for a new video. This time, they're watching and reacting to scenes from the first season. Will lightning strike twice? You decide:
D'Arcy and Cooke begin with the first scene where we see them as Rhaenyra and Alicent: in Episode 6, when Rhaenyra gives birth to her son Joffrey and immediately goes to show it off for Alicent, knowing that her former best friend is scrutinizing her for any sign of weakness to exploit.
Apparently the baby who played Joffrey was a true professional. "Upstaged my birth scene, actually," D'Arcy quipped. And Cooke remembers how much pressure there was to get this scene right: "I just remember there was so much pressure, because they were introducing us as the characters. Even though we'd been filming for months at that point, there was pressure on that day."
Next up, the pair watch what is probably their best scene together from the first season: the scene where Alicent, insenced that Rhaenyra's son Luke has just dashed out the eye of Alicent's son Aemond, lunges at Rhaenyra with a knife when it looks like neither Luke nor Rhaenyra will be punished:
D'Arcy and Cooke are both obviously impressed by the scene, and why not? It's crackling. D'Arcy remembered getting to film some of their lines one day in plainclothes, for the bits when the camera was focused on Alicent. "I was off camera the whole time, so I was getting to do this scene but in my own clothes...It was sort of the first time I got to act with you. I had one of those days where you feel very made up. Cause I was just in my track suit speaking to Olivia Cooke and Paddy Considine. It was really wicked."
Olivia Cooke apparently doesn't like being called Olivia Cooke. "Don't full name me," she laughs. "Do what I like," D'Arcy responds. If any moment from this video has the barest hope of reaching negroni sbabliato levels of virality, it's this one.
Cooke remembers how easy it was to act "infuriated" in the face of Rhaenyra trying to spin the narrative so it's about anything other than her son slashing out the eye of the queen's son. "Cause she just lies!" D'Arcy said. Added Cooke: "It was so juicy. I don't think we've filmed a scene like that since."
In the first season of House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra and Alicent were often at odds but still had opporunities to bump into each other. In season 2, Rhaenyra is fighting Alicent's son Aegon for the Iron Throne, so they're literally at war. It's doubtful that they'll get the opportunity to film another scene together for awhile, let alone one as charged as their knife fight.
Finally, D'Arcy and Cooke react to the scene in Episode 8 where Rheanyra and Alicent's families come together for one last dinner before King Viserys dies and everything falls apart for good. Is peace between these two factions possible? To find out, tune in to House of the Dragon season 2 when it premieres on HBO and Max on Sunday, June 16.
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