House of the Dragon cast: Cooke cites online misogyny for social media break

Olivia Cooke deactivated her social media accounts in June, ahead of the season three premiere of House of the Dragon. She cites the intensity of the show's online fanbase as a primary reason for the pause.

In a recent interview with GQ, Cooke discussed the specific dynamics of the fandom surrounding her role as Queen Alicent Hightower. She noted that fan interpretations often drift away from what appears on screen and can become aggressive.

"I think some of those interpretations just catch fire, and they become something that bears no resemblance to what was shown on the screen at the time," Cooke said. She added, "There's a lot of ugliness to that fandom as well. It's steeped in misogyny. There's a lot of racism."

Cooke described her effort to limit the mental impact of these interactions. "I try to let it take up minimal mental real estate," she stated. The online discourse reached a point where it was no longer "nourishing" for her.

She explained her decision to step back from the platform. "I was just like, I'm on this too much. It's not nourishing," Cooke said. She argued that the celebrity aspect of acting has grown into a "monster" that detracts from the creative purpose of the work.

"I just think we need to get off this train and realise that we make these TV shows and films, yes, for escapism, but also because it's artful and it's creative and it's not for followers or for a brand deal or to get free shit," she continued.

Cooke is not the only actress from the Game of Thrones franchise to address these issues. Sophie Turner, who played Sansa Stark, spoke to Flaunt last year about the toll social media took on her mental health. Turner said the platform "almost destroyed me on numerous occasions" during her early years as a young actress.