Emma D’Arcy addresses incest controversy in House of the Dragon

‘I hope that the show is continually acknowledging the problematic nature of it all,’ they said

Emma D’Arcy has defended the depiction of incest in HBO’s Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon.

The actor played an adult Rhaenyra Targaryen in five episode of the show’s fist season.

Like its predeccesor, House of the Dragon sparked debates among viewers over its exploration of incestuous relationships, with the marriage between Rhaenyra and Daemon (Matt Smith), her older uncle, a particularly significant plot point.

In an interview with The Guardian, D’Arcy argued that the show “acknowledged” the problematic nature of the relationship, subverting cinema’s storytelling norms.

“I think he is a deeply problematic character,” D’Arcy said, of Daemon. “Getting to see Rhaenyra being groomed as a child by her uncle confirms it, and refuses to allow an audience to wholly ignore the problematic nature of their relationship.”

They continued: “Within cinema, there is a long history of creating love interests out of problematic – particularly male – characters.

“What’s interesting in House of the Dragon is that it utilises that same trope. You know, like audiences have responded to Matt playing Daemon as this ‘very sexy, masculine love interest’, but simultaneously, I hope that the show is continually acknowledging the problematic nature of it all.”

When the series first aired earlier this year, viewers said that they were “shocked” by an incestuous sex scene featuring D’Arcy and Smith’s characters.

Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon' (HBO)

Another incest scene prompted similarly horrified reactions from fans – though it turned out that the scene was even more extreme in George RR Martin’s original written version.

House of the Dragon fans also started calling out other viewers for “romanticising” the incestuous relationship between Daemon and Rhaenyran.

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Some fans had shared compilations and videos of the pair interacting on TikTok, underscored by love songs, with captions such as: “I’m having HEART PALPATATIONS.”

House of the Dragon is available to stream now on Sky and NOW.