LOS ANGELES, July 5 (Alliance News): House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke has responded with good humour to long-running fan comparisons between her character Alicent Hightower and Princess Fiona from DreamWorks’ Shrek, admitting the similarities are hard to ignore.
The playful discussion surfaced during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, where Cooke appeared alongside co-star Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole in the hit HBO fantasy series.
Frankel joked that Alicent “looks like Fiona in Shrek,” prompting Cooke to respond with a hesitant, “Thanks?” before he clarified that he meant it as a compliment, pointing to the characters’ similar green outfits and distinctive red hair.
Cooke agreed with the comparison, acknowledging that both characters share the same colour palette and appearance. The light-hearted exchange continued when Frankel asked who would play Shrek in the Game of Thrones universe, to which Cooke instantly replied, “You.”
The conversation comes as their on-screen characters find themselves on opposing sides of the escalating civil war in House of the Dragon Season 3. Following their controversial relationship in earlier seasons, Alicent and Criston Cole now pursue separate paths amid the struggle for the Iron Throne.
In the latest episode, Alicent secretly attempts to help Rhaenyra Targaryen reclaim King’s Landing, but her mission ends in failure when she is captured. Speaking about the dramatic turn, Cooke described the developments as “the ultimate betrayal” for Alicent, who remains unaware of her father Otto Hightower’s fate.
She said Alicent feels manipulated and used by those around her, leaving the character determined to fight back as the conflict intensifies.
