People from Philly grow up with the term “cheesesteak” as a staple in their vocabulary, but the same certainly can’t be said for folks from across the pond. – as a new celebrity interview shows.
“House of the Dragon” stars Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith and Fabien Frankel took part in a “puppy interview” with BuzzFeed — in which famous people are interviewed while playing with cute puppies — that premiered Monday. In addition to discussing their Emmy-winning “Game of Thrones” prequel, the second season of which premiered Sunday on HBO, the conversation briefly turned to a famous Philadelphia delicacy that some of the British actors were unfamiliar with.
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BuzzFeed producers asked if there was an American dish the actors had heard of but hadn’t tried. Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole, had an answer ready – an American dish he’s tried and enjoyed. Frankel was recently in Philadelphia to film “Task,” an HBO series from “Mare of Easttown” creator Brad Ingelsby – and has been spotted filming around the city.
“I live in Philadelphia right now and I’ve eaten a lot of Philly cheesesteaks,” Frankel told BuzzFeed. “I had an Angelo’s Philly cheesesteak; that’s the most famous cheesesteak in Philadelphia.”
Given the never-ending, fundamental debate over who has the best cheesesteak in town, the BuzzFeed producer did some important investigative journalism and asked West London native Frankel if he would officially say that Angelo’s has the best cheesesteak in town.
“Angelo’s is my favorite cheesesteak I’ve ever had,” he replies, clearly not trying to incur the wrath of Philly residents who think otherwise. “I really don’t want to sin in Philadelphia.”
Frankel isn’t the first famous actor to publicly express his affection for Angelo’s Pizzeria, a pizza parlor owned by Italian Market brand. Montgomery County native Bradley Cooper has collaborated with Angelo’s owner Danny DiGiampietro on a cheesesteak food truck called Danny & Coop’s.
When Frankel expressed his love for cheesesteaks, his co-stars looked on in confusion. At one point, Cooke – who plays Alicent Hightower – asks if it’s just “cheese on steak,” to which Frankel replies, “I don’t know what they put in it, but it’s so much more than just cheese on bread.”
Later, D’Arcy, who plays the lead role of Rhaenyra Targaryen, asks again what exactly a cheesesteak is.
@buzzfeed Can someone please give Emma D’Arcy a Philly Cheesesteak? 🤤 Tell us your favorite American food in the comments. House Of The Dragon puppy interview now on BuzzFeed Celeb YouTube! #HouseoftheDragon #TeamBlackDragons #TeamGreenDragons #HOTDS2 ♬ Original sound – BuzzFeed
“So, it’s a baguette,” Frankel begins.
“Is this a joke? Is this real?” asks D’Arcy, as incredulous as many readers in Philadelphia who would never think of describing a cheesesteak like that.
Then a producer steps in and gives Frankel a little help: “It’s like a hoagie.” That only increases the uncertainty.
“What is this? I thought we were talking about a steak,” says D’Arcy.
“It’s like a hot dog,” Cooke interrupts.
“It’s like a lot of meat and cheese in a kind of baguette,” Frankel tries to explain.
“I’m so glad I asked. I thought it was a steak with some cheese on it,” D’Arcy said, although the confusion isn’t entirely cleared up. “I can’t imagine what you’re describing,” they add.
A clip featuring Frankel and D’Arcy’s cheesesteak thoughts was posted to TikTok on Monday, where it has already garnered over 420,000 views. The cast of “House of the Dragon” is no stranger to viral interview moments.
In 2022, a clip of Cooke and D’Arcy went viral, in which D’Arcy described her favorite drink as a Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco, to which Cooke responded, “Oh, stunning!” The video sparked a surge in interest in the cocktail, so perhaps this latest interview will spark a newfound fascination with Philly’s most famous sandwich. Can someone at least please give D’Arcy a (vegan) Cheese steak?
Watch the full BuzzFeed interview below:
