Olivia Cooke is well known for playing Queen Alicent Hightower in the hit HBO series “House of the Dragon,” but it’s hardly her first acting gig. The English actor launched her career in 2012 with a three-episode run on “Blackout.” She’s also well known among cinephiles, having blown critics away with her performances in “Ready Player One,” “The Quiet Ones,” “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” and “Sound of Metal.” One franchise Cooke has yet to enter is the one set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away: “Star Wars,” but that’s not for a lack of trying.
During an appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Cooke revealed something many of her fans didn’t know: she tried out for Rey in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” As any “Star Wars” fan knows, that role went to Daisy Ridley, who appeared in two subsequent movies and in several video games. Disney revealed that Rey will headline a new trilogy of feature films, but it’s unclear when the first one, tentatively titled “Star Wars: New Jedi Order,” will arrive. Regardless, while Ridley got the job, Cooke tried her best to get it, and according to the actor, “I was really bad.”
Olivia Cooke’s Audition Didn’t Go According to Plan
Given her story, the Force was not with Cooke on the day of her audition, which she explained to podcast host Josh Horowitz: “You know when you go into an audition, and you’re just not bringing it, and you’ve let yourself down? You’ve let everyone down in the room. It just wasn’t it.” She also explained that every British girl with big eyes tried to land the role of Rey, which makes sense. Any part in a “Star Wars” film could set up an actor for a long career with millions of adoring fans, and while it’s debatable if that happened for Ridley’s take on Rey, Cooke and many others wanted the job.
Interestingly, Cooke initially couldn’t recall auditioning for the role Horowitz asked about, but explained how she did try a few times to get the Rey role in “The Force Awakens.” She auditioned once in Los Angeles and another time with J.J. Abrams, though she didn’t say where. She then went on to praise Ridley, saying she did an amazing job with the character, so it doesn’t seem as if Cooke is haunted by her inability to land the role. Ultimately, it all worked out, as Ridley’s performance was fantastic, and losing that job opened the door for others Cooke took over the years, many of which furthered her career.
Losing Out on Rey Turned Out Well for Cooke’s Career
GettyIt’s easy to look back on a failed audition and feel regret over losing a coveted role, but Cooke doesn’t recall the incident in that way. She went on to appear in a plethora of popular projects, with “House of the Dragon” being the most visible to a large number of fans. The series launched in 2022 with a pre-existing fanbase that championed “Game of Thrones,” and her take on Alicent Hightower has been at the forefront throughout the series. Sure, she lost out on playing an iconic “Star Wars” role, but Cooke went on to play one of the most important characters in the “Game of Thrones” franchise, leaving a lasting impression.
“House of the Dragon” Season 3 is available on HBO Max, with episodes airing each Sunday until the season finale on August 9, 2026. A fourth season has been confirmed to conclude the series, though its air date remains unknown as of this writing.
