Olivia Cooke says it's 'hysterical' that she's 30 and playing a grandmother in 'House of the Dragon'

Olivia Cooke as Alicent in season two of "House of the Dragon."

Ollie Upton/HBO

• Olivia Cooke spoke to The Times about the age gap between characters on HBO's "House of the Dragon."
• Cooke, 30, plays Alicent Hightower. Her on-screen children are played by actors in their late 20s.
• "The years between being a teenager and now a grandma on screen were so short for me," she said.

Olivia Cooke has shared her thoughts about playing a grandmother in "House of the Dragon," despite being 30 years old.

The British actor portrays Alicent Hightower in the "Game of Thrones" prequel series, which returns for its second season on June 16.

Alicent has three children, with King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), the eldest of which took over as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms at the end of season one, following Viserys's death.

Speaking to The Times of London, Cooke said she had "complicated feelings" about the fact that Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, and Phia Saban — the actors who portray her character's children — "are all my age, yes."

Saban, who plays her on-screen daughter Helaena, is 25. Mitchell, who plays Aemond, is 27, and Glynn-Carney, who plays Aegon, is 29 — one year younger than Cooke.

Toward the end of season one, it was revealed that Aegon and Helaena — who are married to each other — have become parents to twins, making Alicent a grandmother.

Cooke spoke about the lack of a realistic age gap between herself and her on-screen children, telling The Times: "If they can create dragons, they could have made me look younger – and then older."

"The years between being a teenager and now a grandma on screen were so short for me," she said.

Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) with her son, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). The two actors are just one year apart in age.

Theo Whiteman/HBO

"It's happened now, and I'm grateful for the role," Cooke continued. "But I've just turned 30, and I'm playing a grandma," she said, reported The Times.

"There is a real reticence to see women age on screen," she said in The Times interview. "A real reticence."

Cooke said she wasn't criticizing the show but admitted that she finds the role "hysterical" due to the small age gap with her co-stars.

"Tom is a year younger, and I'm, like, 'Son, come here! Come on to the bosom! It is a strange dynamic that I'm very aware of," she told The Times interview.

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