Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans discuss the kind of relationship between Alicent and Otto Hightower

Game of Thrones was a jumbling mess of convoluted relationships, which will also be at the core of the upcoming prequel House of The Dragon. Love, jealousy, greed, and pride, all have a part to play in the downfall of the Targaryens, as well as the cunningness of House Hightower. The father-daughter duo, Otto and Alicent Hightower, will remind you of Tywin and Cersei Lannister in some ways, however, there’s a lot more to them than it seems.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Olivia Cooke describes the younger Alicent as being “hermetically sealed in this kingdom” with her dad. While she loves her father unconditionally, even more so after the death of her mother, her father has greater ambitions for the kingdom, which take the foreground in his head.

Rhys Ifans says, “He’s an astute, high-functioning political creature. He knows the machinations of this court better than anyone. He’s kind of his own CCTV system, in terms of knowledge of what’s going on at any place with whom at any time. He’s ruthless, but he struggles with some of the decisions he is forced to make as Hand of the King.”

Cooke goes on to explain how Alicent’s relationship with her father affects her friendship with Rhaenyra in the series, “She’s quite an anxious rule-follower in comparison to how free and mischievous Rhaenyra is. When you realize that you haven’t been nurtured in the way that Rhaenyra has — her best friend that she’s seen grow up, have everything given to her, and had the unbridled love of her father — that is a real tough pill to swallow.”

What do you think of the Hightowers in House of The Dragon? Tell us in the comments below!