Rhaenyra and Alicent will soon be recast in House of the Dragon – but the younger actors may return in Season 2.
House of the Dragon, a prequel to HBO’s Game of Thrones, begins 172 years before the death of the Mad King and the birth of Daenerys. It follows the Targaryen family under the rule of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine), and the conflicts leading to the Dance of the Dragons.
His daughter, Rhaenyra, has been played by Milly Alcock in the first few episodes, while Alicent Hightower has been portrayed by Emily Carey.
However, both characters will be recast for the second half of the first season, much to fans’ dread as they’ve become rather acquainted with them. Don’t worry too much, there’s a chance we’ll see them again.
House of the Dragon Season 2 may bring back young Rhaenyra & Alicent
While the exact time jump remains unclear, many are expecting Episode 5 to be the last time we see young Rhaenyra and Alicent for quite a while, if not the remainder of the season, barring any flashbacks.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Carey revealed “conversations have happened” about bringing the two stars back for Season 2, but nothing has been confirmed at the time of writing.
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“It’s been spoken about, conversations have happened, but, in all honesty, I know absolutely nothing and I have no idea,” she said.
“Of course, I would love to come back. It depends on how it’s received and where they want to take the show next. I’m just going with the flow!”
Alcock met up with Emma D’Arcy, who’ll be replacing the star as Rhaenyra. “We wanted to have a meeting with [director Miguel Sapochnik] and have a discussion about Rhaenyra’s progression as a character,” she said.
“And Miguel didn’t want us to meet – which was really interesting! So we never had that discussion. Miguel was like, ‘Just trust that you that you both have it.’ I think he was aware we would be trying to mimic each other.”
House of the Dragon Episode 5 will be available to watch on September 18 in the US and September 19 in the UK.
