Emma D’Arcy on how theatre helped them cope with constant bullying

Since her debut as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, Emma D’Arcy has managed to win the hearts and favor of the viewers, critics, and the awards circuit. However, being a member of an LGBTQ+ community was tough for them from a young age. They had to face a lot of bullying in school and were often targeted for being different.

Emma D’Arcy on being bullied while growing up

D’Arcy recently admitted in an interview with THR that they were scared of getting into the acting industry at first. They recalled, “I guess I just realized that it was fundamental to be able to live in the gaps. I, too, was bullied to pieces — I just didn’t exist well, so I was a good target. And I spent a lot of time wondering how other people were managing it, and then I did a play at school and discovered that there was incredible freedom in being somebody else.”

How House of the Dragon audition brought back Emma D’Arcy’s confidence

D’Arcy went on to talk about how it changed over time, “But there’s loads of other time [when you’re not acting], and, yeah, I probably felt more comfortable [when I stopped presenting as someone I wasn’t] and so I probably was better at my job and better in auditions and better at the interstices of the role of an actor, which mostly aren’t being onstage and doing the thing.”

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