The stars of House of the Dragon hit the Green Carpet at the season 2 premiere
By Dan Selcke
![HBO's "House Of The Dragon" Season 2 Premiere HBO's "House Of The Dragon" Season 2 Premiere](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4000,h_2250,x_0,y_791/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/385/01hzgb7tps5ryzdmdgsr.jpg)
The second season of House of the Dragon premieres in just a couple of weeks, and HBO is rolling out the red carpet. Or rather, they're rolling out a green carpet in New York City for the big premiere event, attended by several members of the cast and crew.
There's lots of fun photos to check out. Let's start with star Emma D'Arcy, who will return as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen:
D'Arcy looks intense as ever in a sparkling suit. She talked to Extra about what to expect from the new episodes:
"She's stricken with grief, almost paralyzed with it, unable to act clearly," D'Arcy said. If you remember, the last thing we saw in season 1 was Rhaenyra finding out that her son Luke had been killed by her own nephew Aemond Targaryen, who supports the claim of his brother Aegon to the Iron Throne over her claim. The Targaryen family is divided against itself, which will lead to a brutal civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Rhaenyra will have a hell of a time fighting her own half-brother for the Iron Throne, especially when her own counselors are "endlessly critical" of her decisions. According to D'Arcy, Rhaenyra "spends series season 2 kind of looking left field for other kinds of solutions."
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra former best friend Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) supports her son's Aegon's claim to the Iron Throne, unstable though he may be. Cooke stepped out in blue and black:
Cooke also talked to Extra. "[S]he's f**king terrified," she said of Alicent. "Her son has just brutally murdered Rhaenyra's son and she knows that she's on the cusp of civil war, and the Targaryen family and the kingdom is about to crack in two."
Rhaenyra and Alicent are often put forth as the face of the show, so naturally Cooke and D'Arcy had to get a photograph together:
And then there's Rhaenyra's husband Daemon Targaryen, played by Matt Smith:
Daemon once had designs on the Iron Throne himself, but will support his wife in the wars to come. Although it's starting like he's going on a weird wild journey in season 2. "He sort of tumbles down towards the abyss," Smith told Extra. "A lot of the things you know about him become slightly unstuck. He unravels, essentially, it's like a piece of yarn tumbling away in the wind a bit. He sort of loses his mind a bit."
The jury is still out on what in the world that could mean. While we ponder, here's a group shot of Smith, Cooke, and D'Arcy with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal:
Here's Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon. Obviously he's wearing Green, the name of the faction given to those who support his claim to the Iron Throne. It kind of looks like an outfit you'd wear to prom, what with the ruffles in the middle:
Aegon's brother Aemond ratcheted tensions up several notches when he killed Rhaenyra's son at the end of season 1. Aemond is precise, deadly and intense. Actor Ewan Mitchell looks the part in a sharp suit:
And we can't forget Aegon and Aemond's sister Helaena, who isn't as bloodthirsty as either of her brothers:
Sticking with the Greens, we also have Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, the Kingsguard knight who was once devoted to Rhaenyra and who is now one of her bitterest enemies:
And then there's Alicent's spymaster Larys Strong, played by Matthew Needham. I can't tell if I'm just used to thinking of him as the skeevy Larys or if this photo has a creepy vibe independent of any prior associations:
Let's switch to the Blacks, which is the name of the faction who support Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne. First up we have Harry Collett, who plays Rhaenyra's eldest son Jacaerys Velaryon, aka Jace:
And here's Steve Toussaint, who plays Rhaenyra's advisor Corlys Velaryon, the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms at this time:
Eve Best plays Corlys' wife Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider who was almost queen before Rhaenyra's father got the job years before the series began:
Bethany Antonia plays Corlys and Rhaenys' granddaughter Baela Targaryen, also a dragonrider:
Jacaerys and Baela are engaged, but mostly as a way to bind houses Targaryen and Velaryon together. Royal engagements are weird.
Finally we have one of several newcomers with Gayle Rankin, who will play the mysterious Alys Rivers, whom Daemon will meet while he establishes a military foothold at the castle of Harrenhal:
The second season of House of the Dragon premieres on HBO and Max on Sunday, June 16!
Next. Rhaenys and Daemon discuss Rhaenyra in new clip from House of the Dragon season 2. Rhaenys and Daemon discuss Rhaenyra in new clip from House of the Dragon season 2. dark
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