House of the Dragon: Eve Best Is Most Proud of Rhaenys' Final Scene of the Season

Eve Best is an acting ace. She’s got loads of impressive screen credits to her name and is a theater legend with two Tony Award nominations, a Drama Desk Award win and a Laurence Olivier Award win as well. Now she’s an absolute force on HBO’s House of the Dragon. It probably goes without saying, she’s always been a dream guest for Collider Ladies Night, but a recent Ladies Night guest skyrocketed Best to being a top priority. While chatting with Jessica Gunning for Baby Reindeer, a performance that appears to have put her on the path to snagging an Emmy nomination, Gunning pinpointed an actor who made a major impression on her during the early days of her career. That actor? Eve Best. Soon after chatting with Gunning, interview opportunities for House of the Dragon Season 2 popped up, and I jumped on it.
Best plays Rhaenys, the Queen Who Never Was, in the Game of Thrones prequel series. Despite having a number of qualities that’d make her an ideal leader, Rhaenys was passed over to succeed King Jaehaerys I for being a woman. She eventually comes to terms with the decision and attempts to serve Westeros valiantly as a dragon rider and as the wife of Lord Corlys Velaryon of Driftmark (Steve Toussaint). Despite Viserys (Paddy Considine) naming Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) his heir, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) takes the throne, solidifying the stark divide between the Greens, those who support Aegon, and the Blacks, those who continue to back Rhaenyra’s claim. As a member of Team Black, Rhaenys begins Season 2 doing what she can to keep her side safe while strategizing for all-out war.
With House of the Dragon Season 2 kicking off its highly anticipated run on Sunday, June 16, I recently sat down with Best for a Ladies Night conversation to discuss how she’s honed her craft over the years, and Rhaenys’ approach to being a strong leader with war brewing in Westeros.
#houseofthedragon #gameofthrones #interview #max #actor
00:00 Dicey Questions
06:10 Introduction
06:31 Stockard Channing
10:33 Jessica Gunning | Live Theater
15:08 Roles That Scare Her
17:39 House of the Dragon
BREAKING NEWS, REVIEWS & MORE: collider.com
SUBSCRIBE: / collider
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
/ collider
/ collider
/ collider

[@ColliderLadiesNight]

It's your turn now! Who do you think would make the best ruler of Westeros in House of the Dragon? Are you going with Eve Best's Rhaenys or someone else?

[@gunnhildk6299]

Of course it is, or was, Rhaenys.

[@codyarrington7693]

Rhaenys would've been, I think, the best ruler Westeros had seen in ages. Kind, compassionate, loyal, and hardened when needed to be. A better ruler than anybody to date from the GoT universe.

[@lnu9068]

The only woman who should’ve sat on the iron throne is Princess Rhaenys ❤

[@annevergara7220]

Eve exudes class and elegance

[@_Rick___Grimes_]

i agree, she feels so regal. shes stunning, but it a way i wouldnt even know how to put to words

[@aakarshyaverma9524]

People like her are the reason why I love to watch interviews still. What an amazingly gracious and wise host. And Rhaenys 😢 you will always be one of the greatest warriors in GOT universe. Mad respect

[@gutspillage]

She should be most proud, she was a queen

[@hey_amore]

The way she lights up talking about theatre🥰

[@SoullessGingerSnap]

Her skin looks incredible. I want to know what she uses

[@TuberoseKisser]

I like that every agrees that Rhaenys would have been an amazing queen.

[@carogirlyaya]

Absolutely phenomenal interview! I always appreciate when interviewers ask about the acting process itself and allow actors to discuss the parts of their jobs that they love but are often overlooked

[@gianmarcozampella5138]

she has so much wisdom in her,it's awe-inspiring to watch,and the whole interview was just wholesome

[@Georges.A_05]

So nice to see an actress like her with no lifting or botox, etc , just shining in her age !

[@AlerieHightower]

She's absolutely luminous. I'm her age, and I need to take note next time I think I want some "work" done. I'll keep holding out.

[@arlenesolis024]

She’s absolutely a wonderful actor and I hope she nominated for her role in HOD.

[@WoodlandAsh]

What an actress! She’s incredible.

[@lauramorkel5554]

Eve if I could I would give you a hug (and I hate hugs) You made Rhaenys so noble and compassionate she bends her knee to none but we bend ours to her until they bleed.... I was in tears

[@DeeBee334]

Eve is absolutely stunning inside and out. Me and my mum have loved her since Nurse Jackie! We’re so happy to see her getting more international recognition for HoD and The Crown. Also the cast of HoD say she smells amazing and gives the best hugs! You did such an amazing interview with her! ❤

[@EnigmaticMuseTrinitie]

Wait, I love nurse Jackie...I'm not recalling her. Ty I'll have to review it again. Tysm

[@AlerieHightower]

@@EnigmaticMuseTrinitie She was the doctor who was Jackie's best friend and tried to give her tough love.

[@DeeBee334]

@@EnigmaticMuseTrinitie Yw! You wont regret it. 😊

[@christinestevenson4304]

@deebee i don't know how i didn't realize that dr ohara was her! I loved nurse jakie!

[@christinestevenson4304]

@alerihightower i didn't realize dr ohara was eve best! Not quite sure how i didn't but that together!

[@LeannsAdventures]

She has such a regal vibe.

[@margsgrete2421]

I could listen to Eve Best and Perri all day long too. The substance of this interview is just sublime!!

[@RadikaneshaBharly]

This is the best interview of eve best, I love how passionate she is❤❤

[@andreavega412]

Lost count on how many times I’ve watched this. She has a calming voice and is so funny in her own unapologetic way. Besides, when she talks about the thing she lives, like theatre her voice and face lights up. You did an amazing job with your choosing questions and thank you for no rushing her for an straight answer and even more for picking her out the whole cast (all amazing actors). Istg, hearing her stories about her career or pov along with a tea or a glass of white wine must be heaven

[@author2838]

What a lady, indeed! A pleasure to watch and listen!

[@DaxGigandet.]

She's one of my favorite characters on HOTD & going to miss her in season 3 😢

[@Domorrigana]

She is so stunning and graceful, absolutely perfect for the role 👑

[@gwyn8372]

My queen, I love you.

[@misti-step]

what a wonderful interview

[@BFBrown3]

I was just searching for Eve Best interview clicked then I saw Perri. I have not watched Collider in a while. Pleasantly surprised.

[@swghavoc]

She did an outstanding job. Many love her character, and I particularly like her portrayal of a regal wife. Outstanding work.

[@claudi1514]

I love her and she is my fave in house of the dragon

[@Piffeluring]

She is an absolute gem

[@reki76]

I'm against monarchies in principle, but if Eve Best decides to start claiming territories she can count on me to ride beside her. My queen 👑

[@ErickaWilliamsCC]

Just love her. Elegant and wonderful

[@dunsparce4prez560]

Rhaenys became my favorite GoT-verse character almost immediately partly for to her excellent portrayal by this beautiful lady. Rip

[@arvenblack5656]

Watching this after this weeks episode that last question hits so hard man... You could see in her face that it was difficult for her to talk about that last scene without showing the very telling emotion that she was gonna die.

[@jamiebranco4092]

Im in love with her and Rhaenys was her opus magnum. Simply brilliant!

[@MsBroadway209]

Wow I never saw that I would ever hear or see someone have the same opinion of Stockard Channing in Grease that I have haha. I love every character in grease, but Rizzo was always the character that I was drawn to the most. She was transcendent in that role.

[@batgurrl]

Eve’s choice of ‘Don’t Look Now’ was on multiple top 10 scariest lists for decades, including the last couple of years

[@JonahsWail]

She was so great on the show, she will be missed!

[@jeydaness]

What a delightful interview

[@DutchHPfan1992]

I really like the host and Eve is just lovely. And she's a beautiful woman! Rhaenys is my favorite character in the book, I knew what was going to happen and Eve was brilliant. She made me cry.

[@Touchgrassplz]

thank you my queen

[@JohnyAngelo]

She was the Ned Stark of this show IMO.

[@ggr9068]

I watched that movie as a child and I’m still terrified! I totally get it Eve!

[@abhinavmishra357]

Beautiful interview

[@RafaelCarballo]

Such deep insights from an incredible actor, thanks Eve

[@JonnySuite13]

Just love this interview. She has so much poise.

[@BobbyNavarrette-ks3tx]

Eve Best is so beautiful, and elegant.

[@Laramaria2]

Eve ❤️ I love her so much ❤ Such a delightful person ❤ The Queen That Should Have Been ❤👑

[@Varekai0723]

Eve Best is the best!

[@Ilmryn465]

Loved this interview!!

[@Sandeep-ry2qq]

She's adorable

[@liamjames2956]

I love how the GOT universe hires lesser knows actors. I think it adds to the whole experience. Sean bean was a big star to attract attention, which was perfectly cast. But now we all know this fantastic universe. It’s so much easier to get lost in a story when you dont recognise actors for sure

[@hermunkulus]

Another banger Perri. Also respect for the Anna and the Apocalypse name drop. I’ve been meaning to get around to that one for a while.

[@soulsharts]

Isn't Eve just the Best?

[@ColliderLadiesNight]

💯

[@robertgoyette5863]

great job as always perri! also i like how dramatically you were lit here, it looks really cool

[@tadeoerrasti629]

I'm in love with her voice ❤

[@AneeSourjah]

Honestly what a great conversation

[@zmelon]

Love me some Eve Best❣️😘

[@mrs.sherry]

I Love her as an actress. Was awesome as a dragon rider!

[@lu_witt]

she looks AMAZING 🥰

[@tombystander]

Never seen someone smirk so much while they act. It's every time she's in the frame

[@indigovinyl2445]

I bet she gives the best hugs

[@stingerz122]

I love her

[@LorraineVirginie]

I love what she said about Stockard Channing in Grease. I named my dog Rizzo after that character. 🥰

[@DeeN4sty]

aaaaaahhhh Rhaenys

[@codyarrington7693]

To the Red Queen, and her rider, the Queen that Never Was. Always heroes, and true Queens in my heart and eyes. ❤

[@Iluvthe1960s]

At 15.55 when Eve says if she gets a role she probably shouldn’t do it and like rolls that scare the s**t out of her reminds me of what David Bowie said that an artist does his best work when it’s like you walk out in the sea and your toes can’t touch the ground you do your best work if you don’t go far enough out and your comfortable it won’t be as good. 2 brilliant artists with similar quotes. Love them both!

[@brycepickett68]

I want to grow up and be elegant and poised like Eve, I could listen to hear speak for hours get her a podcast or a talk show ❤

[@Equint77]

Team Black!!

[@csKiosk]

She is just classy

[@bharlesCabbage]

fierce

[@fai6139]

I just miss hearing her voice in hotd!!!! 😢

[@TheTinyGod]

I love this lady but now every time I see her I just see Melys looking back at her with the "Did I do good?" look in her eyes....

[@KDA8919]

Eve Best is quite attractive.

[@fitzcorraldo8570]

Don’t look now !! Now that’s an answer.

[@spiderliliez]

OMG. I realized just now, I swear, Eve looks like she's someone related to Christian Bale.

[@bonniebree187]

I get what she's saying about Rhaenys's floor-busting scene and I love what she's saying about restraint. But I also think, "Yeah, but Rhaenys DID certainly kill a bunch of other people in that demonstration 🤔..."

[@adekunlejosiah2939]

I think the point of that scene was to show that dragons are kind of a nuclear weapon...viserys was wise to be wary of them.

[@chrisb6753]

Book readers know whats happening.

[@rojayreid908]

Olivia Cooke next

[@clutch2827]

I thought she was gonna say Rise of Skywalker

[@sirchadiusmaximusiii]

It is shocking how much beauty is in classy women. Especially in the modern world where there is very little.

[@merenjamir_1350]

Is she related to christian bale

[@thestoicrealist9804]

She looks like a lost elder sister of Christian Bale🙎

[@Plusgrandir11]

My beautiful Wife 🛐🥹

[@dawnatkinson7704]

I suspect that everyone who watched her final scene shed a tear...personally i was in floods of tears but i am a very empathatic person and any sad scene in a movie or tv show has me crying. My family seem to think its hilarious 🤔

[@Ethribil]

Maximum GILF energy tbh, highkey I’d even say MILF energy

[@Sakalatacocs]

Gilf

[@IrisLunari]

first

[@alexroads]

So sad to hear that's she's already married 😂

[@dumitrescusorana1907]

She’s not 👀

[@alexroads]

@@dumitrescusorana1907 she literally said in the interview: "my husband" somewhere

[@dumitrescusorana1907]

@@alexroads Oh I might have missed it but I’m pretty sure I didn’t, I watched every interview with them and I listened closely to this one. If you have a link to it, I would love to watch that one or read it 👀

[@alexroads]

At 13:23 she's saying my husband, but probably she meant the one in the play 🤭​@@dumitrescusorana1907

[@keithmutamba1395]

Was bad when she was young and is the baddest right god damn now

[@Alex-bz8lj]

Is Rhaeyns not gonna address the fact that she killed hundreds of innocent people at the Dragon pit and didn’t feel bad at all

[@adrianarivera9392]

I love that you’re asking an actress about a fictional character’s life. I think you should stop watching a FICTIONAL show about monarchs and start watching shows about small folks coz you seem to be oblivious about what House of the Dragon is.

[@signe-o3f]

Lots of respect for Eve but talking about ultimate compassion and kindness in the context of the scene when Rhaenys killed probably dozens of smallfolk? Maybe because Eve doesn't watch the show she doesn't even know what it looked like with all the effects?

[@GeeNoniGee]

The question was about how Rhaenys felt about sparing her family who imprisoned her, not how bad she felt about the collateral damage, I think.

[@signe-o3f]

@@GeeNoniGee She's not Rhaenyra.

[@GeeNoniGee]

@@signe-o3f I'll fix that, lol.

[@simonkendra3079]

She mentions biggest context. Yes people died. But that was her way out. But she showed restraint because she could have incinerated the whole Greens lineage and she decided that she’ll show them mercy and not start the conflict she’s only a side character in. She never says it’s about saving a single life.

[@AllmondISP]

Another Actress. who hates Horror movies. Wow. I bet Perry didn't see it coming... Let it go, Perri.

[@PerriNemiroff]

Every single time someone rolls this question, I think of you 😉 It's always going to be a priority, one, because a shared love of horror makes me happy and, two, because if someone thinks an entire genre is not for them, I enjoy trying to find the movie that'll surprise them and give them a way in. (And I appreciate when others do that for me as well with genres I'm not super into!)

[@AllmondISP]

@@PerriNemiroff You know you can always bring the horror topic during the natural conversation between you and your guest, right? espacially if your guest came to promote a horror project she's in, or... she been in one in the past. It so easy. You don't need it to be on those 8 random question.. I think it's such a superfluous question for those 8 random question. I know you can come up with better question. a fresh question instead. I believe in you. Just think about it. PS I'm ready to bet none of your guests on "Ladies Night", who told you they hate horror movies bother watching the movie(s) you recomanded them.

[@fortelewisandrew2426]

Since Eve's swan song comes to a fiery yet ill-fated end in season 2, it is in the books. It's another underrated, but a great show beckons her sublime talents and foxy charisma. Interview with the Vampire seasons 3 and 4 can have her play Lestat's mother/ fledgling Gabrielle de Lioncourt. Eve Best was born for built for this role her energy will match Sam Ried's energy. The permutations with both of them on the screen will be quite palpable and intense.

[@CG-up9iv]

THE TITLE OF THIS VIDEO IS A SPOILER!!! PLEASE CHANGE IT FOR THE FANS

[@sherrym9919]

How is that a spoiler? It says the final scene of the SEASON, not a final scene for the character. Everyone who filmed season 2 has a final scene of the season.

[@Blaze-410]

Too bad she dies this season with her dragon 🐉

[@Crazy-Description]

Yup, episode 4 😢

[@chrisb6753]

Dude don't spoil it for people!

[@maxster0097]

Brilliant toilet paper dress shes got going on

[@Divine_Chareka]

Absolutely adore her, The Queen Who Never Was ❤️

[@proxy6986]

I love her

[@joeybulford9055]

Can’t wait for tonight’s episode! She’s gonna ride my favorite dragon like a fkn badass!

[@sohailsamad9715]

It was so sad

[@joeybulford9055]

@@sohailsamad9715 It really was. The final scene with her and Meleys was gut-wrenching.