Manchester's Olivia Cooke discusses the challenges of her Northern accent in the acting world

'House of the Dragon' star Olivia Cooke has opened up about abandoning her Northern accent to advance her acting career. The 30 year old actress, who captivated audiences with her portrayal of Alicent Hightower in the 'Game of Thrones' prequel, discussed the pressures of conforming to industry expectations and how her Oldham accent, a reminder of her working-class roots, once made her feel inferior among her middle-class peers.

Olivia, whose mother was a sales representative and father a police officer, shared with The Times the "really sad" realisation that led her to alter her speech: "I put on a voice when speaking to someone with a different upbringing. I'm proud of where I come from but it was a source of embarrassment because I didn't feel as intelligent as others."

She went on to reveal her ongoing battle with this issue: "I speak about that to my therapist and try not to do it, but I do have a chip on my shoulder about being working class."

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Prior to her role in 'House of the Dragon', Olivia gained acclaim for her performance as Becky Sharp in ITV's adaptation of 'Vanity Fair', earning her significant praise for her take on Thackeray's shrewd protagonist.

In her frank discussion with The Times, Olivia also touched on the growing challenges actors from less privileged backgrounds face in the industry, remarking: "It is a really exclusive industry. It's not equitable, the arts are not funded in state schools.", reports the Mirror.

Olivia emphasised the importance of drama education for more than just paving a way into the industry, saying: "But drama class is not just about getting into this