Both Emma D’Arcy and Sonoya Mizuno have revealed that the moment felt “organic”
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY HBO
House Of The Dragon featured its first sapphic kiss and it is all thanks to Emma D’Arcy.
In last night’s episode Smallfolk (21 July), Rhaenyra and her spymaster, Mysaria, share a steamy kiss after a heart-to-heart. Sonoya Mizuno, who plays Mysaria, told The Wrap that the kiss was Emma’s idea.
“It wasn’t scripted as a kiss. I think it was scripted as… there’s just breath between them,” said Sonoya, before adding that Emma suggested this could progress to a kiss. “[Emma] felt the instinct to hold [Mysaria], to comfort her. From that, it felt organic to go into the kiss.”
Emma shared their thoughts on the decision with Variety. “Rhaenyra is hugely affected by the life that Mysaria has lived so bravely. Then, they are two bodies completely overrun by touch,” they explained. “As soon as they embrace and their bodies are touching, I think it’s pure bodily desire.”
They added that it is hard to label Rhaenyra as queer, as it’s a word that isn’t within the character’s lexicon. “There are so few images or stories within that world that she has access to that allow one to identify that way.”
However, they clarified that they do think Rhaenyra and Alicent’s relationship involved “great intimacy”.
Many fans have been waiting for Rhaenyra, the dragon-riding potential ruler of Westeros, to have a queer storyline since season one, where one of the storylines explored her changing relationship with Alicent Hightower, her former friend-turned-stepmother.
Alicent and Rhaenyra were incredibly close prior to the former’s marriage to King Viserys, a friendship that was not present in the books. Several scenes between the two were rife with sexual tension, leading many to believe Rhaenyra’s sense of betrayal at Alicent’s marriage is caused by romantic feelings for her friend.
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