Emma came from a well-off family, while Cherry grew up poor. No matter how hard she tried to fit into his world, it was never good enough. “Trying to break into those circles is like trying to cut through steel with a twig,” Cooke says, almost poetically. “It’s impossible to get in, and Cherry had to learn that the hard way. But it’s still the same today. Navigating the upper levels of society is really tough. I mean, not that I’d want to,” she laughs. “But it’s a whole culture of its own.”
I was the oldest of two kids, and my parents were divorced, so there was a lot of: look at me, love me.
Cooke has talked before about the challenges of being an actor from a working-class background with a northern accent, and how the entertainment industry relies on the kind of networks and connections that exist in those upper social circles. She jokes that her mom now scoffs whenever she calls herself working class. “She’s like, you’re not working class anymore,” Cooke laughs. “I think my attitude is still working class. I’ve just become, against all odds, very successful in my field.”
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Bright spark … Cooke in House of the Dragon. Photograph: Theo Whiteman/HBO
When she was eight, Cooke started going to the Oldham Theatre Workshop, a youth theatre group that also helped launch the careers of Anna Friel, Suranne Jones, and Joseph Gilgun. At the time, it was at the end of her street. “My mom was just like, ballet didn’t work out, let’s throw her in there.” What went wrong with ballet? “My mom said I talked back to the teacher too many times.” (When casting The Girlfriend, Wright said she chose Cooke because she had “moxie.”) Had she shown any interest in performing before? “I was the oldest of two kids, and a child of divorce,” she says dryly. “So there was a lot of ‘Look at me, love me.'”
She feels strongly that there should be more drama workshops available to young people, especially those from working-class areas. “There’s a huge amount of talent in these places, but you need to fund them. It can’t just be the Harrow and Eton crowd, because you’ll only get one side of the story, and it won’t be truthful.” Without groups like the Oldham Theatre Workshop, TV, film, and theatre all start to look the same. “It becomes completely homogenized, and it’s fucking boring.” She pauses, then laughs: “She says, getting all worked up.”
But talking about it is important, she continues. “I thought with a Labour government, these things would be a priority, but it doesn’t feel like they are.” There’s less and less funding for the arts, and she’s clear about what’s being lost. “Even if you don’t want to be an actor, it’s important to have a place to go and express yourself, instead of being locked in your room on your phone. You get to develop social skills. Kids today are so isolated. And with the rise of the manosphere, the antidote to that is play—showing boys that they can be tender and emotional, and that being on stage is beautiful, cool, and mind-expanding.”
Game of Thrones film adaptation in the works at Warner Bros
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Cooke has to head off to a meeting about a top-secret script. She has three films coming out soon. There are two horrors: Visitation, where she plays a nun, and Brides, which is more of a gothic romance. There’s also a film about crime novelist Patricia Highsmith—originally called Switzerland, though it might have a new name now—directed by Anton Corbijn. He made Cooke’s favorite film, the Joy Division biopic Control, so she was thrilled to get the chance to pick his brain about it.
Meanwhile, House of the Dragon is set to end with a fourth and final season. As always in Westeros, it’s impossible to say who will survive. “In the b”Look, I make it to the end of the story,” she says, suggesting Alicent might have a real chance. “So, with good behavior, hopefully I won’t get the chop.” Her dad, then, has even more catching up to do.
Season three of House of the Dragon starts on HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and Now on June 22.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the topic of Olivia Cookes comments about class privilege and her role in House of the Dragon
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Who is Olivia Cooke and why is she in the news
Olivia Cooke is an actress who plays Queen Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon Shes in the news because she recently talked about how her fame and money have changed her social class and shes getting a lot of mixed reactions from fans about her character
2 What did Olivia Cooke mean when she said My mum says Im not working class anymore
She meant that because she now has a lot of money and a famous job her mother feels she can no longer call herself a regular workingclass person Its a funny way of saying that her financial situation has moved her up the social ladder
3 Why are people arguing about her role in House of the Dragon
People are split because her character Alicent is complex Some viewers sympathize with her while others see her as a villain Cookes performance makes people see different sides of the character which sparks debate
4 What is privilege in the context of this interview
Cooke is acknowledging that being a famous actress gives her privilegeslike money security and influencethat she didnt have before Shes being honest about how that changes your life and how others see you
IntermediateLevel Questions
5 Is Olivia Cooke saying she isnt working class anymore just because shes rich
Yes essentially Shes pointing out that class isnt just about your background or how you were raisedits also about your current financial power Her mum is saying that once you earn that much you cant really claim to be struggling like a typical workingclass person
6 How does her comment about class relate to her character in House of the Dragon
Alicent Hightower also moves up in social class through marriage but she loses personal freedom Cookes reallife honesty about gaining power mirrors Alicents story about the cost of gaining privilege Both are about the tradeoffs of social mobility
7 Why does talking about power and privilege split opinions
Some people appreciate the honesty while others feel
