Actor Emma D’Arcy, hailed for their powerhouse performance as Rhaenyra Targaryen in the fantasy drama House of the Dragon, has opened up about what fans can expect from the upcoming third season. As a woman deprived of her inheritance, D’Arcy has channelled rage and desperation in a beautiful blend for two seasons now. Ahead of the premiere, they spoke to Hindustan Times about their character’s battles this season and shared some thoughts on how co-star Matt Smith brings a unique ‘football hooligan energy’ to the character of Daemon Targaryen.
‘A Lovely Tension Between Source Material and Adaptation’
House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones, is based on George RR Martin’s Fire and Blood. The book was written as a history of the Targaryens, the fictional dynasty that ruled Westeros before the events of A Game of Thrones. While the show largely stays faithful to the source material, it has made some notable deviations as well.
D’Arcy notes that this is part of what makes the show interesting. They explain that the source material is a “plotted history,” while the show is told from the perspective of a complex family. The book presents Rhaenyra almost as a “mad queen,” a tyrant who could not let go of the lure of power. However, the show offers a more layered, sympathetic portrayal. D’Arcy chalks these differences up to how women in power have been perceived over the centuries.
Rhaenyra’s Battle: ‘A Campaign of Othering’
In the upcoming season, as the Dance of the Dragons intensifies, Rhaenyra will have to contend with even more men doubting her abilities to govern. D’Arcy elaborates that a key part of her journey this season is trying to right the “campaign of othering” against her.
“She comes in as a ruling queen, and she has to find a way to declare to her male colleagues and counsel, as well as her subjects, that ‘I am the same as you. I have the same capacity to lead the realm as you’,” D’Arcy explains. The actor also mentioned that there is a “breathless” haste to Rhaenyra’s decision-making, which sometimes feels like she hasn’t “engaged her diaphragm in like, 20 years”.
‘Matt Allows Daemon to Be a Football Hooligan’
One of the highlights of the show has been D’Arcy’s chemistry with co-star Matt Smith, with fans calling their characters a “power couple.” Praising Smith for his physical style of acting, D’Arcy says he has turned a violent character into a medieval football hooligan, imbuing it with charm.
“There was a scene we did this season, and I got to watch Matt, who is an amazing physical performer, do some violence. The way Matt approaches it is allowing Daemon to be like a football hooligan. It is a much more poised presentation of violence. That’s probably why some of that thrill and charge is glamorous,” D’Arcy shared.
Despite his violent tendencies, D’Arcy notes that Rhaenyra sees Daemon as an equal who understands her struggles and ambition. However, this trust is not blind; D’Arcy has noted that their relationship is incredibly complex and volatile, rooted in a passion that can quickly shift to jealousy and manipulation.
Testing the Audience’s Loyalty
As Rhaenyra continues her quest to take back the Iron Throne, D’Arcy revealed they are less focused on the physical warfare and more interested in pushing the boundaries of audience empathy in Season 3. “I think this season I am excited to see how far we can test the audience’s loyalty to Rhaenyra,” they told Flaunt Magazine.
The actor added that at the end of Season 2, the audience observed a “growing fanaticism” in Rhaenyra regarding her royal lineage and her relentless pursuit of the crown. “And I think that may prove challenging in series 3,” they added.
House of the Dragon Season 3 premieres on June 21 on HBO and HBO Max worldwide. In India, the show will stream on JioHotstar. The eight-episode season will conclude on August 9.
