Olivia Cooke hints at dramatic start for House of the Dragon Season 3

Olivia Cooke has hinted at a dramatic and devastating beginning to House of the Dragon Season 3, as the HBO series dives deeper into the brewing Targaryen civil war. Speaking on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Cooke described the opening episodes as “a bit mad” and “really quite mental,” while stopping short of revealing specific plot details.

The actress, who plays Alicent Hightower, confirmed that the new season picks up where Season 2 left off, with Westeros on the brink of civil war. “We start off at the burgeoning of a civil war, and it’s really devastating what takes place,” she said. Cooke also shared that the first two episodes are particularly intense, echoing comments from Fallon, who noted that some have called them “the craziest couple episodes on television.”

Despite the escalating drama, Cooke admitted that her personal dream of seeing Alicent ride a dragon remains unfulfilled. When Fallon suggested she should have a dragon-riding scene, Cooke responded, “I’m trying, I’m trying,” but acknowledged that such a moment would be difficult to justify narratively. Fallon agreed, saying, “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Reflecting on her return to the role of Alicent, Cooke said she finds it surprisingly easy to step back into character. She explained that acting allows her to access emotions more easily than in real life, a realization she has been exploring with her therapist. “Anything that Alicent goes through, I’m just like, chill. You’re good at it,” she joked.

Season 3 will continue to explore the escalating conflict between rival factions in Westeros, with Indian viewers able to stream the new season on JioHotstar starting June 22.