Olivia Cooke from Manchester discusses the challenges of her Nordic accent in the world of acting

House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke has opened up about ditching her Northern accent to further her acting career. The 30-year-old actress, who captivated audiences with her portrayal of Alicent Hightower in the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel, discussed the pressures to conform to industry expectations and how her Oldham accent, a reminder of to its working-class roots, it once did. she feels inferior among her middle-class peers.

Olivia, whose mother was a sales representative and father a police officer, shared with The Times the “very sad” realization that led her to modify her speech: “I raise my voice when I’m talking to someone with a different upbringing. I’m proud of where I come from, but it was a source of embarrassment because I didn’t feel as smart as others.”

She went on to reveal her ongoing struggle with the issue: “I talk about it with my therapist and I try not to, but I have a chip on my shoulder about being working class.”

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Prior to her role in ‘House of the Dragon’, Olivia won acclaim for her performance as Becky Sharp in the ITV adaptation of ‘Vanity Fair’, earning her significant praise for her portrayal of Thackeray’s wily protagonist.

In her candid chat with The Times, Olivia also addressed the increasing challenges facing actors from less privileged backgrounds in the industry, noting: “It’s a really exclusive industry. It’s not fair, the arts are not funded in state schools.” reports the Mirror.

Olivia emphasized the importance of drama education for more than just paving a path into the industry, saying: “But drama is not just about getting into the industry, it can help kids grow in confidence and feel accepted.”

Despite her youthful appearance, Olivia plays a grandmother in “House of the Dragon.” Her on-screen sons are played by Ewan Mitchell and Tom Glynn-Carney, who are 27 and 29 respectively, much closer to her real age.

In her conversation with The Times, she suggested that her casting suggested a reluctance to cast older actresses, arguing: “If I can create dragons, they could have made me look younger and then older.”

“I’m grateful for the role, but I just turned 30 and I’m playing a grandmother. “There’s a real reluctance to see women age on screen. “”.