Emma D’Arcy knows something about power. As Rhaenyra Targaryen on HBO’s House of the Dragon, the nonbinary actor has spent three seasons fighting for the Iron Throne, earning two Golden Globe nominations along the way. This summer, D’Arcy returned to Westeros as Queen Rhaenyra finally wielded greater political power — and a sword.
But D’Arcy’s creative ambitions extend far beyond the Seven Kingdoms. This year, they brought Alexander Zeldin’s The Other Place, a reimagining of Antigone, to New York after its acclaimed London run. This autumn, they star opposite Tom Cruise and Riz Ahmed in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger. They also recently wrapped Stages, the feature directorial debut of their House of the Dragon costar (and onscreen love interest) Sonoya Mizuno.
D’Arcy says they’re “drawn to work that investigates the knottier parts of human behavior,” particularly the power structures surrounding a character.
Next, they want some power of their own. D’Arcy hopes to spend more time behind the camera, with their production company’s debut feature in development. “I have a chronic need for creative control that often threatens to breach the bounds of an actor’s remit,” they say, “so I'm keenly looking forward to being one of the people in charge.” @emmaziadarcy
