Rhaenyra and Alicent Could Be More Than Friends, According to Emily Carey
If you've been shipping these two since the very first episode, you have an ally in the cast!
Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower have gone through quite an emotional roller coaster as they evolved from best friends to sworn enemies. However, according to Emily Carey, who portrayed the younger version of Alicent, there could have been a stage in the duo's relationship that is not about being friends — but also not about fighting...
In an interview with Variety, Carey suggested that the chemistry between her character and Rhaenyra could indicate that the two might have been — or even still are — in love with each other.
"We were in the rehearsal room…I believe it's Episode 4. I was sat on the bench. It's not necessarily something we had talked about yet. We were doing that scene, and Milly and I looked at each other like, 'It kind of felt like we were about to kiss? That was really weird!' And so we talked about it," Carey recalled.
However, the actress quickly added that it was up to fans to label the relationship between the two, noting that the creative team has never intended to "queerbait" the audience or imply something they did not mean.
"It's just, if you want to read into it and see it like that, do it. If you want to see them as more than friends, do it. If you don't, then don't," Carey concluded.
Naturally, she is not the only one to feel the chemistry between Alicent and Rhaenyra, with many fans believing that suppressed feelings is the main reason for constant misunderstanding and bad blood between the duo.
Seriously, was it ever about the men?
"If Alicent was in love with Criston, then they did a poor job telling us that. In the show Alicent seems to be more in love with Rhaenyra than Cole. All she talks about is Rhaenyra. I can understand the fact that she lied on her mother memory but the Criston Cole thing, nah." – @KingJordan_57
The fandom is currently divided, with some people believing that Alicent is in love with Rhaenyra and therefore is "weirdly policing" her sex life, and others adamant that the queen is simply jealous of Viserys' heir over her getting sexual freedom.
As Carey noted, it is always up to fans to choose the point of view they believe more. The upcoming four episodes are on their way to make the drama even more complex, sprinkling it with the civil war and throne intrigues.
New House of the Dragon episodes arrive on HBO Max every Sunday.