Fans are loving the trailer for “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon” with non-binary lead

HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel is certainly one of the most hotly anticipated TV events of the year. But LGBTQ fans have even more reason to be excited for the August 21 premiere of House of the Dragon; the series features a non-binary actor in its lead role.

Emma D’Arcy stars as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, an ancestor of Game of Thrones’ Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and the focus of the new show’s fantastical power struggle.

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D’Arcy, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, has been discussing how their identity enriched their understanding of the character.

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“She’s someone who I think is at odds with her gender as a result of the position she finds herself in,” D’arcy explained in a recent Entertainment Weekly interview with co-star Matt Smith. “I suppose I’m interested in all gender questions.”

Allow #HouseOfTheDragon stars Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith to introduce the Targaryens!
Read our full @HouseofDragon cover story: https://t.co/CxzTG8HMbG pic.twitter.com/f6oEnEJgtE

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) July 13, 2022

“Rhaenyra has an ongoing battle with what it means to be a woman and is a fundamental outsider,” they told The Hollywood Reporter. “She’s terrified of getting locked into motherhood and is aware of how her position would be different if she were male.”

“I’m a non-binary person. I’ve always found myself both pulled and repelled by masculine and feminine identity and I think that plays out truthfully here,” D’arcy continued.

D’arcy will reportedly appear midway through the show’s first season as the adult version of the character. Milly Alcock will play a younger version of Rhaenyra the first batch of episodes.

Meanwhile, fans cheered the prominent inclusion of the fantasy franchise’s first non-binary star.

I didn’t know Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen in the GoT Prequel show) is a they/them. WIN FOR FANTASY GAYS.

— Theta is exploring exoplants (@Jobu_Tupaki) July 21, 2022

I wasn’t really planning on doing much writing about House of the Dragon but watching Emma D’Arcy talking about exploring gender questions with Rhaenyra might have gotten me rethinking that… https://t.co/gQHPriAYBs

— Lo (they/them) (@lo_the_lynx) July 13, 2022

Before the show kicks off please remember that Emma D'Arcy is a non-binary actor who goes by they/them pronouns! I’m beyond excited to have them as our newest Targaryen Queen