Movies News Talk
With her subtle performance of Alicent Hightower in the hit HBO series, House of the Dragon, Olivia Cooke is enthralling viewers right now. But before her outstanding performance in this epic fantasy drama, she gave another quite poignant performance in the critically praised 2015 film Me And Earl And The Dying Girl. With an outstanding 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this movie highlights Cooke's skill in a different perspective and offers insightful analysis of the preparation for her transforming performance as Alicent.
Greg, an insecure adolescent, is told in Me And Earl And The Dying Girl alongside his best friend Earl, who sets out a special project: creating a series of parodies films to upliftingly cheer up their classmate Rachel, who has leukemia. Cooke plays Rachel, a multifarious character struggling with the terrible facts of her illness while preserving a keen wit and a moving sensitivity.
Examining Rachel Kushner's Character
Rachel is a multifarious person who negotiates the emotional upheaval of her diagnosis with resiliency and a little cynicism. Cooke captures Rachel's complicated feelings by giving her performance a raw authenticity. Rachel is not your typical "dying girl." Sharp and clever, she approaches her sickness honestly and with humor. She is negotiating the complexity of adolescence, friendship, and the search for meaning in life in addition to a major disease.
Although Rachel and Alicent differ clearly, their common experiences and personal paths draw attention to the preparation Cooke's performance in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl offered for her portrayal in House Of The Dragon. Though their ages, both characters have knowledge and wisdom beyond their years.
Alicent Hightower: An Interesting and Complicated Shape
Like Rachel, Alicent must negotiate a world of injustices and obstacles. She is a woman living in a patriarchal society, sometimes discounted and undervalued. She does, however, have an inner strength and resilience that comes through especially as she negotiates the dangerous terrain of power conflicts, political wrangling, and family betrayals. Her story, along with Rachel's, emphasizes how gracefully and boldly one can meet difficulty.
Value of Vulnerability and Honesty
The way Cooke presents Rachel and Alicent shows the strength of openness and vulnerability against trying conditions. Though they find ways to communicate their emotions and negotiate their challenges with a mix of strength and sensitivity, both characters battle terrible truths and emotional upheaval. Audiences find great resonance in this authenticity, which helps both characters to be unforgettable.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is evidence of Cooke's actress ability and range. Her performance of Rachel won praise from critics, so confirming her rising star status in the business. This movie not only highlighted her capacity for subtle and emotional performance but also helped get her ready for the demanding part of Alicent in House of the Dragon. Being a multifarious character like Rachel prepared Cooke to provide the layered and captivating performance she is today praised for on the HBO series.
Impressive roles abound on Cooke's path to her present success in House of the Dragon, including her breakthrough performance as Emma Decody in the Psycho prequel series, Bates Motel. Her parts in Ready Player One and Slow Horses have also brought her acclaim.
Set 172 years before the events of Game of Throne, House of the Dragon chronicles the rise and fall of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to escape the Doom of Valyria. Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen and Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, who negotiates the convoluted world of power conflicts and family betrayals, have a great ensemble cast in the series.
House of the Dragon's Alicent Hightower performance by Cooke is evidence of her developing actress skills. She gives the character depth, complexity, and emotional weight so she is a fascinating and unforgettable presence on the show. Driven by her experiences in movies like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, her performance shows her ability to fluidly move between several genres and give strong performances in many roles.