Emma D’Arcy’s portrayal of Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon, the prequel to the highly acclaimed Game of Thrones, saw fans and critics laud their act. But did you know that they almost did not get the role? Emma D’Arcy has now revealed that they were nearly not cast as Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon.
EMMA D’ARCY ALMOST LOST HOTD
For the unversed, D’Arcy played Rhaenyra Targaryen for the second half of House of the Dragon season 1, starting with episode 6. The actor took over from Milly Alcock after a 10-year time jump, portraying the adult version of Rhaenyra.
Though some House of the Dragon fans were concerned about the series’ time jumps, D’Arcy’s iteration of Rhaenyra was an instant hit with viewers.
In an interaction with The Hollywood Reported, D’Arcy said they were nearly passed on after the extensive audition process.
HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID
D’Arcy said that she was living he rlife during the pandemic when she wasinvited for a four- or five-hour in-person audition. While they were told they would hear something next week, they never did.
“And then I didn’t. Then I was told it was probably not going my way. And I thought, ‘Wow, it’s a real shame.’ I went to the countryside, just for the weekend, to start metabolizing, and at the end of that weekend I had about 14 missed calls from my agent. I spoke to him the next morning to hear, ‘They changed their mind! Do you want to do it?’ So weird, honestly. A very solitary process that went on seemingly half a year,” D’Arcy revealed.
D’ARCY AS RHAENYRA
D’Arcy’s portrayal as Rhaenyra has been widely appreciated by the audience. While makers and the auudience were initially skeptical if she would be able to take over from Alcock, who effortlessly played a teen Rhaenyra, D’Arcy’s nuanced approach towards the complicated role was well met.
