Director's Reflection on Alicent's Shocking Moment of Terror in House of the Dragon
Spicy Scoop on House of the Dragon's Heart-wrenching "Regent" Episode
Y'all know that House of the Dragon is loaded with bone-chilling battles and a dash of dragon fire, right? Last week wasn't an exception, but episode five, "Regent," took a surprising turn for the profound. The episode aired last night, giving us one of the most potent moments in the series yet. And it was as quiet as a cat's sneeze! In an exclusive chat with The Wrap, the brilliant mind behind "Regent," director Clare Kilner, spilled the beans on what went down behind the scenes.
We've witnessed some brave moves on House of the Dragon, even those that favor a touch of restraint. Remember that chilling moment in season two's premiere when Heleana remained emotionless after her son's gruesome beheading? It's a different ball game compared to Alicent's reaction in "Regent" when the Small Council turned the reins over to her son, Aemond, leaving her side in favor of the injured King Aegon.
This double whammy strikes hard! Not only is Alicent being shoved aside, mainly because she's a gal, they're promoting someone she knows will be a ruthless ruler. Worst still, she thinks Aemond is responsible for Aegon's pathetic condition after returning from battle.
In the climactic scene, Kilner abandon's the smug, newbie Aemond dispensing orders, instead zooming in on Alicent's face where the riot of emotions (anger, disrespect, and panic) becomes apparent. With the excellent performance from Olivia Cooke, you'll see a woman facing a mix of emotions – indignation, humiliation, and sheer terror about the future.
"For every scene," Kilner told The Wrap, "I do loads of prep beforehand in terms of breaking down the scene and looking at the characters, but I also walk onto the set with my DP and we talk about if we had just one long shot how would we shoot it." The director further explained, "I was just like 'this would all be on Alicent. I could shoot this whole scene on Alicent.' Also because Olivia Cooke quietly brings everything. Behind those eyes, there is so much going on."
Kilner confessed that she and her team knew that focusing on Alicent was the best choice. "Sometimes you don't know if studio or people will let you do that," she said. "But everyone was on board with that. It just became so patently obvious that this huge betrayal was happening."
New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays on HBO and Max. Need more io9 goodness in your life? Check out upcoming releases for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, and the changing winds in the DC Universe, as well as keeping tabs on the future of Doctor Who.
- The future of House of the Dragon seems to hold more heart-wrenching moments, as seen in the "Regent" episode, where Alicent, played admirably by Olivia Cooke, faces a potent mix of indignation, humiliation, and terror.
- In an interview with The Wrap, director Clare Kilner revealed that, to capture Alicent's emotional turmoil, she opted to focus the climactic scene largely on her character, crediting Cooke's performance for the depth behind Alicent's eyes.
- Kilner admitted that, despite potential studio resistance, her team agreed that the emphasis on Alicent was the correct decision, as her character was experiencing a significant betrayal.
- As new episodes of House of the Dragon continue to air on HBO and Max, fans can look forward to following the developments not only in the series but also in the wider world of io9, including updates on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
