Emily Carey And Milly Alcock Discuss How The Books Influenced Their Performances On House Of The Dragon

"House of the Dragon" soon comes to HBO under a massive shadow. "Game of Thrones" is one of the most significant TV series of the 21st century, and "House of the Dragon" will take audiences back to the world of Westeros to see how the balances of power shift. 

Playing an important role in these power dynamics is Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who's in a position to become the first queen regnant. When the show begins, we'll be introduced to a younger version of Rhaenyra, played by Milly Alcock. By her side in this same time period is Lady Alicent Hightower, who will be portrayed by Emily Carey. The two are expected to go through quite a lot together throughout their time on "House of the Dragon," leading up to a time jump where the audience will see older versions of the characters.

Looper had the chance to catch up with both actresses during a roundtable discussion, where they spoke at length about stepping into such a massive franchise. The magnitude of the series wasn't lost on them as they delved into the role the original text from author George R.R. Martin played in developing the new series.

Both actresses were incredibly complimentary toward George R.R. Martin's work. In terms of informing their own performances, the text mostly laid the foundation and provided much-needed context into this world. Emily Carey explained that in "Fire & Blood," there's really not that much said about her character other than the fact that she's 14 and precocious, so she had to draw from other aspects to learn about the world around her. She said, "It puts her into a certain context in the world and the society and the patriarchy that I don't think I would've found before. I wouldn't have been able to find that on my own. That's what the books gave me."

Milly Alcock felt the same way and viewed the books as a way to establish certain parameters concerning this new world. "The books gave us a good foundation and understanding of where we were and what was at stake for these people, because ultimately, it's a story about a family, and I think that's what made 'Game of Thrones' so interesting; that's what makes 'House of the Dragon' so interesting," she explained.

What's even more interesting is that the two detailed how neither one of them had seen "Game of Thrones" until after they had booked it. But they certainly did their homework to develop engaging, three-dimensional characters.

"House of the Dragon" premieres on HBO Max on August 21 with new episodes airing every Sunday.