With Episode 6 of HBO's House of the Dragon, we saw a 10-year leap forward in time and the recasting of several of the show's main characters. Most notable for me is the arrival of the masterful Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower (and don't you forget it), replacing the much sweeter and more docile Emily Carey. She may only have one episode under her belt, but Cooke's Alicent has already forced a bleeding Princess Rhaenyra to drag herself up several flights of stairs, made sweeping allegations regarding bastards in line for the crown, and watched her son masturbate out the palace windows. I'll be anxiously waiting to see what chaos she can unleash in the season's four remaining episodes (aided, of course, by her ghoul-like husband, tongue-severing henchman, and oh-so-hot-but-oh-so-annoying Ser Criston Cole).
If while you watched last night's episode, you thought to yourself, "Wow, Olivia Cooke is a masterful actor. She is eating up these scenes. No one else is getting anywhere close to the level of talent she has. Give this woman an Emmy. Should I join her fan club? I wonder if she sells merch." Then you are not alone, because I, too, was amazed, astonished, and ordered this shirt from Etsy. But Olivia Cooke is no newcomer to the world of film and television. She's been turning out consistently incredible work for nearly a decade, and I have no idea what her fate will be on House of the Dragon (because I didn't read the spoilers), but I'm praying to the gods (both the old and the new) that Alicent gets that Iron Throne.
While we wait for her new episodes, however, here is a quick primer on the always incredible Olivia Cooke. From indie dramas to splashy spy thrillers, she's got an IMDb page packed with mesmerizing performances. Here are nine of her best for your viewing pleasure:
(Oh, and she was also in one of the pre-taped videos One Direction used to play at their concerts. A legend.)