Olivia Cooke has been a central presence in House of the Dragon since its very first series. House of the Dragon Season 3 has now returned in full force, boasting an epic record-breaking runtime and an opening episode that left viewers deeply unsettled by one particularly striking scene featuring Cooke's character Alicent Hightower, reports the Mirror.
As Season 3 of the Game of Thrones prequel series makes its debut, audiences are eager to discover more about the British actress away from the limelight. Here's everything you need to know about Cooke, from her relationship with her House of the Dragon co-star to her encounters with devoted fans of the show, and where you may have spotted her previously.
Cooke is in a relationship with House of the Dragon actor Ralph Davis, who portrayed Ser Leon Estermont in Season 2 of the series and featured as one of Aegon II Targaryen's (played by Tom Glynn-Carney) companions.
The couple went public with their blossoming romance after they were photographed sharing a kiss in the stands at Wimbledon in 2025.
Davis' other notable roles include Channel 4 sitcom Big Boys, BBC series Film Club with Aimee Lou Wood, and SAS Rogue Heroes, which also starred Glynn-Carney.
Cooke recently revealed that she deleted her Instagram account six months ago and remains absent from social media, much like her partner Davis.
Consequently, very little is known about their relationship outside of public appearances.
Cooke opened up about her memorable encounters with House of the Dragon fans during a recent interview. She told The Guardian: "It can be quite vitriolic at times. I don't want this to come across as 'Woe is me', because I'm very grateful for the job."
Nevertheless, Cooke acknowledged she'd faced abuse both on the streets and online, describing how fans would tell her one moment that they "f***ing hate your character" before immediately asking for a selfie.
"I don't know what you can do. I just try and take it in my stride," Cooke said.
The actress hails from Oldham, Manchester, and trained at the Oldham Theatre Workshop youth theatre group, which boasts Suranne Jones and Anna Friel amongst its former members.
She began attending the group aged eight after admitting that ballet hadn't "worked out".
Her debut screen credit came in the television series Blackout, and she's since enjoyed a diverse career.
Her credits include The Limehouse Golem alongside Bill Nighy, Psycho prequel Bates Motel with fellow Brit Freddie Highmore, Steven Spielberg's sci-fi blockbuster Ready Player One, and ITV's 2018 adaptation of Vanity Fair.
Cooke later featured in productions such as Sound of Metal with Riz Ahmed, Apple TV+ espionage series Slow Horses, and last year's Prime Video thriller The Girlfriend.
She is scheduled to return for House of the Dragon Season 4, which marks the final instalment, and Season 2 of The Girlfriend, alongside the films Brides and Visitation.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming on Sky Atlantic, NOW and HBO MAX UK & Ireland
