‘House of the Dragon’: Top 5 Emmy-worthy performances on season 2
Peter Dinklage was the most successful “Game of Thrones” actor at the Emmys, winning four trophies (in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2019) across the eight-season HBO show.
Dinklage was joined as an Emmy nominee by several cast members including Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and more. We originally thought that spin-off series “House of the Dragon” would be equally successful at garnering its cast members Emmy nominations but, somehow, not one actor from the show’s first season was nominated at the Emmys — not even Paddy Considine, who played King Viserys I Targaryen. That character — spoiler — died in season one but this second season, which has aired two episodes so far, still features a host of fantastic actors. So, without further ado, here are five cast members who deserve Emmy consideration.
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Emma D’Arcy
D’Arcy plays the older version of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who is at the center of the entire series. D’Arcy, who is non-binary, imbues Rhaenyra with a steely power and holds a commanding presence while on screen. D’Arcy owned the latter half of the season in season one and in these opening episodes, the thespian has displayed a tour de force performance as a mother in grief as well as a Queen desperately trying to keep her claim to the throne together.
Olivia Cooke
Cooke took over the role of Alicent Hightower from Emily Carey and made her version of the character her own. Truthfully, Cooke had more to work with with the character as, in the point of the story when she takes over, Alicent is a far more active player in the plot. Cooke expertly plays the calculating, shrewd queen but wisely gives her a sense of vulnerability and loneliness, too, making for one of the most complex characters in the show, and that continues in this second season.
Matt Smith
As Daemon Targaryen, Smith has an absolute ball as the show’s most colorful character. He’s the bad boy of “House of the Dragon” and relishes each profanity-laden scene he deliciously steals. He’s also a bit of a fan favorite, too. His appearance in the early episodes of season two proves why, as he devours every line of dialogue in his conflicts with D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra. Expect Smith to be a central star in this season.
Rhys Ifans
Ifans is under the radar in terms of attention for performances in “House of the Dragon,” but he deserves some Emmy love just as much as his co-stars. He plays the sneaky, manipulative Hand of the King — Otto Hightower. The role is a quieter one, but Ifans has so much presence and gravitas as the character (who is in many ways a combination of Tywin Lannister, Petyr Baelish, and Roose Bolton from “Thrones”) that you hang on to every word the man says. In episode two of season two, Ifans finally gets his moment to shine in his scintillating showdown with King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), which sees Otto insult the King multiple times. Otto’s fury and arrogance is wonderfully embodied by Ifans, who takes full advantage of one of the very few moments his character is more demonstrative.
Tom Glynn-Carney
Speaking of King Aegon, Glynn-Carney looks like the real deal this season. He has grown into this role by now and offers a complex portrayal of a reluctant king who does genuinely try to be a good leader but at the same time succumbs to his own petulance. He plays a king he is at odds with his own nature and in these early episodes, he gets to shine as a distraught king desperately trying to keep the realm together. We’re excited to see more of Glynn-Carney this season.
Honorable mentions go to Eve Best, who plays Princess Rhaenys Targaryen; Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole; and Matthew Needham, who plays the sly, slippery, sneaking Lord Larys Strong.
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