Non-Binary Actress Emma D’Arcy Says “I Really Like Playing Women And I’m Really Good At It”

You might recognise actress Emma D’Arcy as Toni Collette’s daughter in the BBC One series Wanderlust or from being a ghost in Amazon’s Truth Seekers, but she’s really about to explode onto the scene as the older version of Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon.

Clearly, the 30-year-old non-binary actress is really good at playing women, which they pointed out in an interview with The Independent the other day:

“I really like playing women and I’m really good at it.

My worst-case scenario is that suddenly people tell me what I can and can’t play. I have all the tools necessary to play women. I lived as one for a long time; people still think I am one. It’s like, ‘Let me do my job; I’m really good at it.’”

Imagine that? Before this moment, one could only wonder why Emma D’Arcy would be good at playing women on screen, so it’s good that’s cleared up now; they were one for a long time. All they have to do is flex a bit of muscle memory and boom – they transform from non-binary in real life to woman on screen. Does Emma get many offers to play men or NB characters? Would be interesting to know. And if not, why not?

It’s actually a bit of bummer to find out that a few of the characters from House of the Dragon are about to be replaced by older versions as the timeline leaps forward, but by all accounts Emma D’Arcy is an excellent actress and the show has delivered massively thus far so it’ll probably just continue being an awesome first series.

Queen Alicent is also due for a change-up, with Olivia Cooke replacing Emily Carey imminently: