Oldham-born actress Olivia Cooke has opened up in a recent interview on the impact of her character's newest relationship developments. 

Season two of HBO's House of the Dragon is underway, with two episodes now having aired and audiences have already been plunged into the dramatic twists and turns of Westeros. 

Both episodes in season two have highlighted the development of a new relationship between Ser Criston Cole and Alicent, which Cooke recently expanded on in an interview with TVLine.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifan as Otto HightowerOlivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Rhys Ifan as Otto Hightower (Image: PA, HBO)

Editor-in-Chief at TVLine, Kimberly Roots asked in the interview with Cooke and Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston, what the time their characters were spending together was giving them and what about it was weighing on them.

Cooke said: "I think it's teenage for Alicent- she never allowed herself to act on the feelings she's had. 

"She was in a pretty passionless marriage and I think now her body is doing things that she didn't think it was capable of and I think that's really intoxicating."

 

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The Oldham actress stars in the lead role of Queen Alicent Hightower who, in season one, was married to King Viserys Targaryen before his drawn-out death when her character may or may not have usurped the throne (depending on where your allegiances lie).

Cooke's character Alicent is a very religious woman, subscribing to The Faith of The Seven and by engaging in her relationship with Cole she is breeching the rules of her faith.

Not only that, she is breaking the societal rules that are in place in Westeros, as Cole is of a significantly lower class. 

On the relationship's forbidden nature, Cooke added: "It brings a great amount of shame for her and so I think she visits the sept [the religious house] a lot more and repents and self-flagellates."