Playing a mother to actors nearly her own age has left Olivia Cooke reflecting on how women are portrayed as they grow older on screen.
The 32-year-old actress, best known for portraying Alicent Hightower in the hit fantasy series House of the Dragon, recently opened up about the unusual casting dynamic that placed her opposite actors who are barely younger than she is.
During a conversation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Cooke admitted she was initially taken aback when she learned that Tom Glynn-Carney had been cast as one of Alicent’s sons.
The surprise stemmed from the fact that there is only a one-year age difference between the two performers.
A Mother-Son Relationship With Almost No Age Gap
In the HBO drama, Cooke’s Alicent is the mother of Aegon II Targaryen, played by Tom Glynn-Carney.
Off-screen, however, the age difference is almost nonexistent, with Cooke being 32 and Glynn-Carney 31.
Recalling her reaction to the casting news, Cooke said she briefly wondered whether the show intended to recast Alicent again following another time jump.
She questioned how audiences would accept the family dynamic when the actors portraying mother and son are so close in age.
Although she acknowledged the situation feels unusual, Cooke also praised her co-stars, describing her bond with Glynn-Carney as particularly strong.
She joked that perhaps the casting works because of her acting abilities, while also suggesting the situation raises broader questions about Hollywood’s treatment of aging female characters.
Raising Questions About Women and Aging in Entertainment
Beyond the casting oddity itself, Cooke used the discussion to highlight a concern she believes exists across the entertainment industry.
The actress wondered whether there remains a reluctance to allow women on screen to visibly age.
She reflected on how frequently female performers are expected to portray older maternal roles while still being relatively young themselves.
Cooke admitted that asking viewers to accept such a dramatic leap in age can be challenging, but she also approached the topic with humor, suggesting audiences may simply be convinced by the performances.
Another Alicent Storyline Sparks Debate
Cooke’s comments arrive shortly after a controversial moment involving another of Alicent’s fictional sons generated widespread discussion among viewers.
The opening episode of House of the Dragon’s third season featured a disturbing interaction between Alicent and Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell.
During a tense exchange, Aemond unexpectedly kisses his mother on the lips, creating one of the season’s most talked-about scenes.
Mitchell himself acknowledged the unsettling nature of the moment, describing it as shocking and difficult to watch.
He explained that the scene reflects Aemond’s complicated emotional state and his distorted understanding of affection.
Ewan Mitchell Explains Aemond’s Troubled Emotions
According to Mitchell, Aemond’s actions stem from years of emotional neglect and a deep desire for the unconditional love he believes he never received from his family.
The actor argued that Aemond’s upbringing left him with a warped perception of relationships and intimacy.
Rather than portraying romantic feelings, the scene was intended to illustrate the character’s damaged emotional development and his inability to properly separate different forms of attachment.
Despite the controversy, Mitchell viewed the sequence as a valuable opportunity to explore new dimensions of the character.
He also praised Cooke’s work on set, describing acting opposite her as an educational experience and calling her an exceptional scene partner.
Showrunner Offers Insight Into Aemond’s Behavior
Series showrunner Ryan Condal also weighed in on the storyline, explaining that Aemond’s behavior is rooted in earlier trauma.
Condal pointed to experiences from Aemond’s youth that shaped his emotional development and influenced the way he relates to others as an adult.
He suggested that the character struggles to distinguish between maternal affection and other emotional impulses because of those unresolved issues.
The showrunner emphasized that Aemond is not necessarily in love with his mother but instead lacks the emotional tools needed to properly process his feelings.
Cooke Calls the Scene Disturbing and Dangerous
Cooke has also reflected on filming the controversial sequence, admitting that it felt strange for both actors involved.
She noted that there has long been an unsettling undercurrent in the relationship between Alicent and Aemond, even if Alicent herself is largely unaware of it.
For Cooke, the kiss was intended to be shocking because it reveals just how unstable and dangerous Aemond has become.
The actress explained that Alicent understands the threat her son poses and recognizes that even a small gesture of rejection could provoke a dangerous reaction.
As a result, the character approaches the situation with extreme caution, while simultaneously being stunned by what unfolds.
A Performance That Continues to Spark Conversation
As House of the Dragon continues exploring the increasingly fractured Targaryen family, both the controversial mother-son storyline and the unusual casting choices have become major talking points among fans.
For Cooke, the discussion extends beyond fantasy drama.
Her remarks have opened a wider conversation about how the entertainment industry handles aging, particularly for women, and whether audiences are still being asked to accept unrealistic expectations when it comes to female characters and the passage of time.
