House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel, has taken the summer by storm, and one of its brightest stars is Emma D’Arcy. Playing the fierce Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, D’Arcy has captivated audiences, especially nonbinary viewers. In a recent chat with GAY TIMES, D’Arcy opened up about the heartwarming responses they’ve received from fans.
A Gender Nonconforming Icon
D’Arcy expressed their joy at being a nonbinary actor in a major show. “I suppose being a gender nonconforming person on screen feels like a real privilege,” they said. Reflecting on their journey, D’Arcy shared, “When I was younger, I kind of thought that if I were able to act as my job, it would probably be quite separate from my identity… I didn’t know it would be possible for those to sort of overlap and be in conversation with each other.”
Seeing more trans and nonbinary people in media has been inspiring for D’Arcy. “Turns out there is, in fact, space,” they concluded.
Rhaenyra’s Struggles Reflect Real Life
Since House of the Dragon premiered in 2022, D’Arcy has been candid about how their nonbinary identity influences their portrayal of Rhaenyra, a woman constantly challenged by the men around her. In an interview with Vanity Fair, D’Arcy explained, “If [Rhaenyra is] gender questioning in any way, it’s because she sees men occupy a space that isn’t afforded to her… And yet the rules are applied completely differently to two of them.”
D’Arcy sees parallels between Rhaenyra’s struggles and their own life. “I think, probably, I started in a very similar place when I was younger in terms of craving the right to occupy space in a way that I saw boys and men do,” they said.
A Surreal Recognition
On the red carpet at the 2023 Golden Globes, D’Arcy shared the surreal experience of being recognized for their role. “Early on in my career, I really felt that I had to present as a woman in order to find success in this industry,” they revealed to E! News. However, D’Arcy found freedom in being true to themselves. “It wasn’t sustainable, and I stopped pretending,” they said. “And weirdly at that point I got nominated for best Actress for the Golden Globes, which is, like, beautifully ironic.”
More Stars Joining the House of the Dragon
The cast of House of the Dragon keeps getting better. Recently, trans actor and YouTuber Abigail Thorn announced on Instagram that she’ll be playing Sharako Lohar, the new commander of the Triarchy.
House of the Dragon season two is available to stream now on Max, Sky and Now.
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