Matt Smith corrected an interviewer who used the incorrect pronouns for his co-star Emma D’Arcy during an interview at the London premiere of "House of the Dragon" Season 2. Speaking with Sue Perkins of Sky's "House of the Dragon: War Room," Smith acknowledged D’Arcy’s correct they/them pronouns after Perkins referred to D’Arcy as "she." Smith praised D’Arcy, saying, “I can’t take the credit, [but] I have to say, aren’t they brilliant?”
Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra in the HBO series, has openly discussed the challenges of being nonbinary in the public eye. At the 2023 Golden Globes, they shared about the pressure to conform to traditional gender expectations early in their career, saying, “I really felt that I had to present as a woman in order to find success in this industry. It wasn’t sustainable, and I stopped pretending.”
D’Arcy has found considerable success, even earning a Golden Globe nomination, marking them as the only "House of the Dragon" actor to do so despite limited screen time in Season 1. Season 2 of "House of the Dragon" is set to premiere on June 16, 2024, on HBO and Max.