Why House of the Dragon Recast Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower

The new Game of Thrones spin-off quickly became popular, largely thanks to its lead actresses. Emily Carey, as Alicent, and Milly Alcock, as Rhaenyra, captivated audiences with a compelling relationship filled with both warmth and foreshadowed tragedy. This close bond was soon broken, and Milly Alcock powerfully conveyed Rhaenyra’s resulting pain, setting the emotional tone for the rest of the series.

However, by Season 1, Episode 6 of House of the Dragon, “The Princess and the Queen,” the actresses playing Alicent and Rhaenyra were replaced. Olivia Cooke took over the role of Alicent, previously played by Emily Carey, and Emma D’Arcy replaced Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra. While the relationship between the two characters stayed consistent, Alcock and Carey didn’t continue in their roles. Though understandable due to the ten-year time jump in the story, the decision to recast them still feels strange.

Why Did House of the Dragon Recast Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen?

House of the Dragon aims to visually portray the events leading up to a devastating civil war between two factions: Rhaenyra’s supporters (the Blacks) and Alicent’s (the Greens). The show needed to establish the intense conflict brewing between the Targaryens, who are poised to fight each other and potentially destroy much of the kingdom. This was a challenge for the creators, as they only had one season to cover everything before the war actually began. The main draw of the show is dragon battles, but those don’t start until the war itself.

Season 2 of House of the Dragon marks the true start of the Dance of the Dragons, and to tell Rhaenyra Targaryen’s story effectively, the show needed to depict her upbringing and complex relationships with Alicent, Viserys, and Laenor. Because the show couldn’t film over two decades, the original actors playing younger versions of these characters had to be replaced with older ones.

It would be strange if Milly Alcock didn’t age over ten years, and Emily Carey was only 18 when filming began. Having actors so young portray characters at both young and old ages would have felt unrealistic. The decision to have them age helped make the ten-year time jump in the first season feel more believable and emphasized how much time had passed.

In October 2022, shortly after the recast took place in the series, co-showrunner .

He admitted it really frightened him, as no one had attempted something similar before. He compared it to The Crown, a show he greatly admired and discussed frequently with his writing team – even more than most shows, aside from the original Game of Thrones. He pointed out that The Crown successfully transitioned its cast – from Claire Foy and Matt Smith to Tobias Menzies and Olivia Colman – and audiences readily accepted the new actors as the same characters.

The key difference is that those were well-known historical figures, so people already knew who they were. This proved to me that a strong, captivating story and compelling drama are what really keep audiences engaged – not necessarily the actors playing the roles. And that’s exactly what happened; people followed the story, not just the performers.

Who Else Was Recast in House of the Dragon?

Both Rhaenyra and Alicent weren’t the only characters whose actors changed. The roles of Laenor and Laena Velaryon were also recast with older actors mid-season. Theo Nate initially played Laenor, but John MacMillan took over later in season one. Similarly, Savannah Steyn played Laena before being replaced by Nanna Blondell. These changes were made to align with the time jump reflected in the recasting of Rhaenyra and Alicent, particularly since Laenor was married to Rhaenyra. It would have looked strange to have Emma D’Arcy acting opposite a much younger Laenor, and the recasting solved that problem.

Several young actors playing the next generation of Targaryens and Velaryons were replaced as the show progressed. Jacaerys Velaryon was first played by Leo Hart, then by Harry Collett after a time jump, and finally by Tom Glynn-Carney. Ewan Mitchell took over the role of Aemond from Leo Ashton mid-season. Similarly, the actors portraying Lucerys (Harvey Sadler replaced by Elliot Grihault) and Helaena (Evie Allen replaced by Phia Saban) also changed.

Why Weren’t Other House of the Dragon Stars Recast?

The show featured a large cast, and many of the original actors weren’t replaced throughout its run. This included the performers who played Daemon, Rhaenys, Viserys, Corlys, Otto Hightower, and Criston Cole. While years passed for their characters, the actors either used makeup to show aging, or appeared to stay the same age. Daemon, for example, looks much the same as he did in the first season, and the biggest change for Ser Criston is simply his hairstyle.

While it felt a little strange that not all the actors stayed in their roles, the changes ultimately worked well. Keeping some of the original cast members provided a sense of stability for the show. Because only half the cast was replaced, viewers still recognized familiar faces, making it easier to understand the relationships between the old and new actors and how the characters had developed. It’s also worth noting that these actors were playing characters much further along in their lives.

The actors who needed to portray younger versions of characters were usually playing roles under the age of 20. People that age experience more noticeable physical changes than adults. For example, Daemon’s appearance wouldn’t change much between his 30s and 40s, but a child’s looks would change significantly going from childhood to teenage years, or from mid-teens to their early 20s. Viserys was the exception – his aging was handled with makeup instead of recasting the role, even though he aged considerably. This allowed them to keep a popular actor in the role throughout the show.

Recasting Was the Right Decision for House of the Dragon

Look, it genuinely hurt to see Emma Carey and Milly Alcock go, they’re both fantastic. But honestly, the switch to Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy was the right call. They bring a level of experience that really shines through. Within just one episode, Cooke and D’Arcy managed to deepen the already heartbreaking dynamic between Alicent and Rhaenyra. And here’s the interesting thing: it wasn’t really a recasting at all! D’Arcy and Cooke were always the intended actors for those roles, and Carey and Alcock were chosen knowing they’d eventually be replaced. That explains why the transition felt so smooth and natural – it was always part of the plan.

The first five episodes of House of the Dragon gradually moved forward in time with small jumps, but the final time jump was much larger. This change perfectly set the stage for introducing D’Arcy and Cooke. If they’d appeared earlier, actors Paddy Considine (as Viserys Targaryen) and Steve Toussaint (as Corlys Velaryon) wouldn’t have had as much chance to stand out. In the beginning, viewers were still getting to know the characters and cast.

As the season progressed, D’Arcy and Cooke were able to fully embody their characters. This development made the recasting in House of the Dragon essential, and ultimately allowed them to portray the characters as older, wiser, and more seasoned.

Where Are Milly Alcock And Emily Carey Now?

Since finishing their roles on House of the Dragon, both Milly Alcock and Emily Carey have continued to work on interesting projects. Milly Alcock recently led the cast of the Netflix dark comedy Sirens, which is based on Molly Smith Metzler’s play Elemeno Pea (pronounced L-M-N-O-P). She also has a brief appearance in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, scheduled for release in 2025.

Ilana Alcock will star in the new DCU movie, Supergirl, offering fans a deeper look into the character’s story. The film is planned as the foundation for Supergirl’s presence in the DCU for years to come. Directed by Craig Gillespie, Supergirl is scheduled for release in June.

Though many recognize Emily Carey from House of the Dragon, she’s also well-known for playing Ellie in Walk With Me. On TV, she appeared as Ella Warren in Platform 7 and starred as Harriet Manners in the Netflix series Geek Girl, which is adapted from the book of the same name – a story about a clumsy teen who unexpectedly becomes a model. Most recently, Carey provided the voice for Princess Sh’eenaz in an animated spin-off film.

Rhaenyra and Alicent’s Stories Are Destined to End in Tragedy

The actors’ strong performances have made the characters of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower fan favorites in the world of Game of Thrones. Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke will return to play these roles in the third season, which starts in June. The new season will show the major battles of the Dance of the Dragons, starting with the Battle of the Gullet.

Readers of Fire & Blood already know that both Rhaenyra and Alicent face unhappy fates, though their tragedies unfold differently. The conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons brings terrible destruction to House Targaryen, tearing it apart from within. Among the many who die is Rhaenyra, who is ultimately killed by her half-brother Aegon II, fed to a dragon in a brutal act.

Alicent doesn’t suffer a violent death, but her ending is still tragic. As a devoted mother, her greatest fear is living longer than her children, and that’s exactly what happens. By the end of House of the Dragon, most of her children are dead, and those who remain don’t have long to live. According to the book Fire & Blood, Alicent spends the rest of her life in isolation and loneliness.

House of the Dragon is available to stream on HBO Max.

2026-02-27 19:21