Milly Alcock was just 21 when she stepped into the world of Westeros as young Rhaenyra Targaryen on House of the Dragon, and the sudden explosion of fame that followed wasn’t something she felt remotely prepared for. In a recent profile, Alcock reflected on how landing such a massive role during COVID lockdowns left her navigating career‑defining success in near‑total secrecy and without any real guidance from inside the industry.
Quick read:
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Alcock says she had to keep her House of the Dragon casting secret for four months, even from curious friends and family.
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She recalls having “no idea” what the show would become and feeling thrown into the industry without any family experience to lean on.
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Milly Alcock admits she initially doubted she could play Supergirl but learned to trust herself and believes opportunities arrive “right on time.”
Keeping House of the Dragon secret and being “thrown in” with no roadmap
Alcock explained that she had to hide the fact she’d been cast in House of the Dragon for four months, even as she flew from Australia to London—something that understandably made friends and family suspicious. “People were suspicious, but no one guessed,” she told Forbes, noting that no one in her family works in film, so she didn’t have anyone close who understood what she was about to walk into.
She admitted she had “no idea” how big the show would become or how intense the attention would be. Once production began, she felt as if she’d been thrown into an enormous machine with no reference points, trying to adjust to life on a set for one of the most anticipated fantasy prequels ever while still figuring out who she was as a person and an actor.
Credits: Max
Doubting she could be Supergirl—and learning to trust herself
After House of the Dragon made her a global name, Alcock’s career accelerated quickly: she headlined projects like Sirens and then appeared as Supergirl in a brief but buzzy cameo at the end of DC’s new Superman film. That appearance set up her biggest challenge yet—leading Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, due in theaters on June 26, 2026.
Despite the huge vote of confidence, Alcock admitted she initially reacted with fear and serious self‑doubt. She said her first thought was essentially, “What have I done?”, and that she “really struggled to believe” she could play Supergirl, even phoning the director to confess she didn’t know how to be that person and felt like “just me.”
Over time, though, she came to realize the only way forward was to trust herself and accept that big opportunities don’t always arrive when you feel ready for them. As she put it, she believes life tends to be “right on time,” and that things happen when they’re meant to—whether you feel prepared or not.
Read next: Milly Alcock’s Supergirl teaser is here, and it stars a Game of Thrones alum
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