On August 21, 2022, at 8:00 PM CST, the first episode of House of the Dragon aired on HBO and HBO Max, restarting the race for the Iron Throne. In the episode, Milly Alcock portrays Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s younger self. The first episode, titled The Heirs of the Dragon, is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen, commonly known as the Mother of Dragons, is born. House of the Dragon is a Game of Thrones prequel that recounts the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty. It is based on the book Fire and Blood by Martin.
Fans have complimented Alcock’s depiction of Rhaenyra on social media, pointing out parallels between her and actress Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen. After losing both of his sons to mysterious catastrophes, Daenerys’ ancestor, Jaehaerys Targaryen, announces his successor to the Iron Throne. Viserys Targaryen was anointed king by the Great Council over his cousin Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.
The issue of the succession to the kingdom was further complicated when Viserys lost both his wife and son during delivery. Due to disagreements with his brother, Daemon Targaryen, he declared his firstborn, Rhaenyra, as his successor and the first woman to rule on the Iron Throne. Continue reading to learn more about Milly Alcock, who plays a young Rhaenyra.
Who is Milly Alcock or little Rhaenyra Targaryen?
Alcock, a 22-year-old Australian actor, was born and raised in Sydney. In the HBO series House of the Dragon, she portrays a younger version of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. Her initial appearance in the series is as a dragonrider and the politically informed daughter of King Viserys, who desires to go on a military career. Since she was a youngster, Alcock has worked in cinema and television. In 2014, she made her television debut in the Australian romantic comedy Wonderland.
Fans have complimented Alcock’s depiction of Rhaenyra on social media, finding comparisons between her and Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen, notably in their tone of addressing their dragon, Dracarys. Alcock went on to appear in episodes such as Janet King, A Place to Call Home, Fighting Season, Pine Gap, Les Norton, and The Gloaming before securing her breakout role in Upright in 2018. Her portrayal as a runaway adolescent Meg in Upright earned her the Casting Guild of Australia Rising Star Award in 2018. Alcock was also nominated for Best Comedy Performance at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for the role.
What awaits Milly Alcock and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon?
While Rhaenyra has established herself as one of the show’s principal plot engines, it remains to be seen whether Alcock will be kept in future episodes. Additional teasers and character images from the first season suggest that actress Emma D’Arcy will take over as the face of Princess Rhaenyra beginning with the second episode, titled The Rogue Prince. Although the premise of the second episode is unclear, the climax of the first episode implies that Smith’s Daemon Targaryen, Viserys’ brother and Rhaenyra’s uncle, may dispute his niece’s claim to the Iron Throne.
Dragons are here. #HouseoftheDragon premieres tonight on @HBOMax. #HOTD pic.twitter.com/WOihOjoZD3
— House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) August 21, 2022
Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra’s companion and the daughter of the King’s Hand, may become the next Queen in line, when she is married off to King Viserys as a consequence of her father’s plots. As a consequence, Rhaenyra’s encounter with both Daemon and Alicent is one of the episode’s highlights.