Styling: Zadrian Sarah Hair: Ben Talbott Makeup: Naoko Scintu Miu Miu set, miumiu.com; Missoma jewelry, missoma.com. PHOTOGRAPHED BY RACHELL SMITH
ON-THE-RISE STAR EMILY CAREY IS TAKING ON THE ROLE OF YOUNG ALICENT HIGHTOWER IN THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED HBO SERIES HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. THE 19-YEAR-OLD BRITISH ACTRESS REVEALS ALL SHE CAN ABOUT THE PREQUEL, BASED ON GEORGE R.R. MARTIN’S FIRE & BLOOD, SET 200 YEARS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF GAME OF THRONES.
"It was all so immersive, the costumes, the sets, the dialogue. Sometimes the lines blurred between me and my character, which was a new experience for me.” –EMILY CAREY ON HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ROLE INHOUSE OF THE DRAGON? I did a lot of research into the world as I was completely new to it when I booked the role. There was almost a language barrier when I first read the script, so a lot of the initial prep was learning the dialect and language and getting my head around the names of the characters and places! The prep was so meticulous and intense, but I loved every second. I’ve never been part of the creative process of a show from the very beginning before, so it was just incredible to have the freedom to do that.
WERE YOU A GAME OF THRONES FAN BEFORE SIGNING ON TO THIS SPINOFF SERIES? I actually wasn’t! I had never seen a full episode until I booked the role—of course I have seen bits of the show because who hasn’t—but fantasy has just never been my genre. I have since then seen it all and also read the books as research. George R.R. Martin actually gifted us signed copies of Fire & Blood, which I think is pretty cool.
WHAT WAS LIFE ON SET LIKE? Life on set was wild—the word that comes to mind is whirlwind. Such monumental immersive sets and super-intense scenes but surrounded by such grounded people. A challenge I often faced was struggling to switch off Alicent at the end of the day. It was all so immersive, the costumes, the sets, the dialogue. Sometimes the lines blurred between me and my character, which was a new experience for me.
WALK US THROUGH THE AUDITION PROCESS AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU GOT THE CALL THAT YOU LANDED THE ROLE. I had a self-tape audition and a few meetings before I even knew what the project was. It was a top-secret project, and you felt how big the project must be when there is a dummy script and the characters’ names have all been changed for a scene and very heavy NDAs. It was a good few months [before] I did my recall and I had only been home an hour or so before my agents rang me and said I had an off er. I was baffled. I couldn’t process it quickly enough to say anything more than ‘thank you’ over and over. My mum was also sitting with me and she sobbed. Eventually I caught up and was crying too. [It was a] moment I shall treasure for years.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ANY DREAM ROLES? I would love to do something psychological, a thriller or even something more grounded that centers around mental health. Anything that leaves you thinking about it for weeks after you see it is my favorite genre.
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