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Emily Carey discusses the Alicent twist in House of the Dragon
If you have read George R. R. Martin‘s book Fire and Blood, then you know there is an important plot point (around Alicent Hightower) that has not been revealed on HBO’s House of the Dragon yet. This plot point is essential to the story, and it will be interesting to see how the show handles it.
After his wife’s death, Viserys remarries and conceives a son, Aegon II. This eventually leads to the kingdom being split in two due to a disagreement over who should succeed the throne.
Alicent Hightower is set to play a big role in the upcoming conflict. She is Rhaenyra’s best friend, and she marries Viserys and gives birth to Aegon. This is going to be a major part of the story, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. With that being said, during a recent interview, actress Emily Carey who plays Alicent, discussed the hard turn for her character:
I’m so glad I can talk about this now. This is a big one. It changes one of the branches of the show if that makes sense. It pushes things in a different direction. And for my character, it’s, of course, a massive turn.
In regards to Alicent’s development, this is what Emily Carey said
Emily continued to talk about the gender dynamics surrounding the topic:
“Fourteen-year-old girls are allowed to change in front of each other when boys aren’t, and you go to the bathroom together. Just like this tactile closeness and this emotional vulnerability that you share with one another, it’s almost like having a partner. You want to be with that person all the time, and all in all just encapsulating you with love. You just want to love that person so deeply, and you think your best friend of 14 is going to be your best friend for the rest of your life. It does toe the line between platonic and romantic.”
She also discussed Alicent and Rhaenyra’s relationship:
“But I also think, at 14, you don’t know what those words mean. You don’t know what the feelings mean. It’s just love. That’s all it is. Whether it’s friendship or more than that, I think it’s up to how you want to see it, but it was talked about for sure. As a viewer, I like to read into it because I also think that it makes the demise of the friendship more heartbreaking to watch… I would love if they were a little bit fruity, but it’s up to you how you want to read it. It’s just a beautiful bond between two young girls, let’s put it that way.”
What do you think about her perception? Let us know in the comment section below.
Read more: Top moments from House of the Dragon episode 2