The actor on her new role in the Game of Thrones prequel, why #MeToo change needs to hurry up, and how she finds joy making olive oil in Italy
Actor Eve Best, 51, grew up in west London and started performing aged nine. She studied English at Oxford University and trained at Rada. In 2006 she won an Olivier award for best actress for the title role in Hedda Gabler, and is a two-time Tony nominee. She played Wallis Simpson in The King’s Speech, while her TV roles include The Shadow Line, Nurse Jackie, Life in Squares and The Honourable Woman. She is Princess Rhaenys Velaryon in House of the Dragon, the new Game of Thrones prequel series.
Were you a Game of Thrones fan before getting the gig?
No, I was a complete Game of Thrones virgin. I knew it was a big deal but was unprepared for the sheer, gobsmacking scale of it. Walking on to the set was like walking into New York but instead of towering skyscrapers, it’s Dragonstone. The crew was nearly 4,000 people, which was jaw-dropping. I’ve caught up since.
