Olivia Cooke's Shocking Pubic Hair Prank Leaves Co-Star Fabien Frankel 'Stricken with Anxiety'
In a candid television appearance, actress Olivia Cooke has disclosed a hilarious yet alarming prank that left her House of the Dragon co-star Fabien Frankel deeply unsettled. The incident, involving a faux pubic hair accessory, unfolded during filming and has since become a topic of amusement and surprise among fans and fellow actors.
The Prank That Went Too Far
During a recent episode of BBC's The Claudia Winkleman Show, Cooke, who portrays the cunning Alicent Hightower in the Game of Thrones prequel, shared the story alongside guests Ralph Fiennes, Anna Faris, and Michelle de Swarte. The conversation turned to Cooke's penchant for on-set pranks, prompting her to recount a specific episode from season two of House of the Dragon.
"I did it once, and then I was scared that I'd MeTooed myself, so I then didn't do it again," Cooke revealed, eliciting gasps from the studio audience. She explained that the prank occurred during a sex scene where her scene partner was positioned beneath her skirts, necessitating the use of padded, sticky jock straps for modesty.
Seizing the opportunity for humor, Cooke requested the costume department to create "the biggest hairiest merkin"—a pubic wig—dyed a fiery red to match her character's hair. "It looks incredible," she recalled, but the reaction from Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole, was far from what she anticipated.
Fabien Frankel's Distraught Reaction
Upon seeing the merkin, Frankel was reportedly so shocked and disgusted that he "leapt to the other side of the room," believing it to be real. Cooke expressed her alarm, stating, "Surely you've seen pubes before?" but acknowledged that her co-star seemed genuinely traumatized by the experience.
"I was like, 'Oh no, what have I done? I thought this was going to be funny,'" Cooke admitted. "But I think he was really stricken with anxiety from that experience." Despite Frankel's distraught response, fellow guest Michelle de Swarte praised Cooke's boldness, declaring, "Good on you, man, bring back pubes."
Fan Reactions and Series Updates
The anecdote quickly sparked amusement on social media, with fans sharing their delight. One user on X, named Poe, commented, "Olivia Cooke being an 'Alicent has a big bush' truther and saying 'it never left' to 'bring back the pubes', life is good." Another fan, Kristina, added, "I'm dying…this story ???."
This revelation comes as House of the Dragon prepares for its highly anticipated third season, set to premiere this summer. The series, which explores the factions of House Targaryen vying for the Iron Throne, was recently confirmed to run for four seasons, placing the current installment at the halfway point. A teaser released in February hints at the brutal Battle of the Gullet, one of Westeros's most devastating naval conflicts.
Context and Broader Implications
Cooke's prank highlights the often-unseen dynamics of on-set interactions in major television productions. While intended as light-hearted humor, it underscores how such jokes can inadvertently cause discomfort, even among seasoned actors. The story also touches on broader cultural conversations about body hair and authenticity in media, as echoed by de Swarte's supportive remark.
The Claudia Winkleman Show continues to air on Friday nights on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer. As House of the Dragon fans eagerly await the new season, Cooke's tale adds a humanizing and humorous layer to the epic fantasy drama, reminding viewers of the real people behind the characters.
