Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 3 hrs ago
Olivia Cooke says House of the Dragon fandom prompted social media break
Olivia Cooke stepped away from social media before the third season of House of the Dragon.
Cooke plays Queen Alicent Hightower in the HBO series, a prequel to Game of Thrones.
She said fan theories and comments sometimes spread in ways that no longer reflect what viewers saw on screen.
Cooke described parts of the fandom as racist and misogynistic, and said she wanted to protect her mental health.
Reactions to Alicent’s storylines, including incest-related scenes, were among the online discussion around the season.
Cooke also praised director Clare Kilner for leading with kindness rather than force.
The show is set to end with its fourth season, according to showrunner Ryan Condal.
Olivia Cooke said the House of the Dragon fandom’s online reactions helped prompt her to step away from social media.
She told GQ that some fan interpretations bear little resemblance to what appeared on screen.
Cooke described parts of the fandom as marked by misogyny and racism.
She said she deactivated Instagram ahead of the show’s third season and was trying to protect her mental health.
Cooke also praised director Clare Kilner for leading with kindness and care.
- Who
- Olivia Cooke, who plays Queen Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon.
- What
- She took a break from social media, citing the fandom’s online reactions and their effect on her.
- When
- Ahead of the show’s third season; the articles say the season premiered over the summer and in June.
- Where
- Online, including on social media.
- Why
- Cooke said some fan reactions involved misogyny and racism, and that social media had become “not nourishing.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Cooke stepped away from social media and deactivated her Instagram.
The show premiered over the summer and prompted online reactions, including complaints about Alicent’s screen time and reactions to incest storylines.
Showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that House of the Dragon would end with its upcoming fourth season.
- Role
- Cooke plays Queen Alicent Hightower.
- Social media
- Cooke deactivated her Instagram ahead of Season 3.
- Season 3
- The season included an incestuous kiss between Alicent and her son, Aemond.
- Director
- Cooke praised Clare Kilner’s kind and caring approach to directing.
3 sources
Olivia Cooke Says ‘House of the Dragon’ Fandom Led to Her Social Media Break: “A Lot of Ugliness”
Olivia Cooke Says ‘House of the Dragon’ Fandom Led Her to Step Away From Social Media: ‘There’s a Lot of Ugliness,’ ‘Misogyny’ and ‘Racism’
Olivia Cooke says "ugliness" of House Of The Dragon fandom made her take social media break
What people are saying
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.
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.