Tue, November 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM UTC
Oli of the Dragon. However, the actress recently criticized the show’s fandom, calling out misogyny and racism among some fans
In an interview with GQ, Cooke discussed the toxic behavior of some House of the Dragon fans. She criticized the hateful comments and online speculation surrounding the HBO series.
Discussing the online speculation surrounding the show, Cooke said, “I think some of those interpretations just catch fire, and they become something that bears no resemblance to what was shown on the screen at the time.”
She also criticized the fandom’s behavior, adding, “There’s a lot of ugliness to that fandom as well. It’s steeped in misogyny. There’s a lot of racism. I try to let it take up minimal mental real estate.”
Cooke also reflected on the exhaustion she experienced after years of filming. “I feel like the past two years, I’ve been, like, jobs, jobs, jobs, and I got really burnt out. Your body has a way of flooring you to make sure that you do actually lie down,” she said.
Cooke also praised House of the Dragon director Clare Kilner, saying she appreciated how Kilner demonstrated that “you don’t have to stomp around the set and exert testosterone. You can just handle each department with kindness and care.”
Cooke has faced online criticism over her portrayal of Alicent Hightower. Amid the backlash, the actress stepped away from social media, deactivating her accounts to distance herself from the negativity.
Some fans criticized changes to the show’s storyline and Alicent’s controversial scenes. Others made unfounded assumptions about Cooke’s relationships with the production team, including director Clare Kilner.
