June 18, 2024
BuzzFeed Celeb/YouTube
Fabien Frankel attempts to explain a Philly cheesesteak to his 'House of the Dragon' castmate Emma D'Arcy in a new BuzzFeed interview. At one point, he describes it as a 'baguette.'
People here grow up with the term "cheesesteak" as a staple of their vocabularies, but the same surely isn't true for folks from across the pond — as a new celebrity interview demonstrates.
"House of the Dragon" stars Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith and Fabien Frankel joined BuzzFeed for "Puppy Interview" — a video segment by news website where famous people are interviewed while playing with adorable puppies — that premiered Monday. Along with discussing their Emmy-winning "Game of Thrones" prequel, that premiered its second season Sunday on HBO, the conversation briefly turned to one of Philly's delicacies.
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BuzzFeed producers asked whether there's an American food the castmates have heard about but haven't tried yet. Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole, had an answer at the ready for an American food that he has tried and enjoyed. Frankel has recently spent time in Philadelphia filming "Task," an HBO series by "Mare of Easttown" creator Brad Ingelsby — which has been spotted filming around the city.
"I'm living in Philadelphia at the minute and I've gotten to eat a lot of Philly cheesesteaks," Frankel told BuzzFeed. "I got to have an Angelo's Philly cheesesteak; that's like the most famous cheesesteak in Philadelphia."
With the never-ending, quintessential debate of who has the city's best cheesesteak at the forefront of so many minds, the BuzzFeed producer did some important investigative journalism and asked West London native Frankel whether he's going on the record to say that Angelo's has the best cheesesteak in the city.
"Angelo's is my favorite cheesesteak that I've had," he replies, clearly not trying to draw the ire of Philly residents who feel differently. "I really don't want to sin in Philadelphia."
Frankel is not the first famous actor to publicly show love to Angelo's Pizzeria, located near Ninth and Fitzwater streets at the north end of the Italian Market. Montgomery County native Bradley Cooper has collaborated with Angelo's owner Danny DiGiampietro on a cheesesteak food truck called Danny & Coop's.
As Frankel expressed his love for cheesesteaks, his castmates looked on in confusion. At one point, Cooke — who plays Alicent Hightower — asks whether it's just "cheese on steak," to which Frankel replies, "I don't know what they're seasoning it with, 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 entails.
@buzzfeed Someone plz give Emma D’Arcy a philly cheesesteak stat! 🤤 Tell us your favorite American food in the comments. House Of The Dragon Puppy Interview out now on BuzzFeed Celeb YouTube! #HouseoftheDragon #TeamBlackDragons #TeamGreenDragons #HOTDS2 ♬ original sound - BuzzFeed
"So, it's a baguette," Frankel begins.
"Are you joking? Is that real?," D'Arcy asks, as incredulous as many readers in Philadelphia who wouldn't think to describe a cheesesteak that way.
A producer then steps in, giving Frankel a little help: "It's like a hoagie bread." This only adds to the uncertainty.
"What's that? I thought we were talking about a steak," D'Arcy says.
"It's like a hot dog," Cooke cuts in.
"It's like a bunch of meat and cheese in a sort-of baguette," Frankel attempts to clarify.
"I'm so glad I asked, I thought it was a steak with some cheese on it," D'Arcy said, although the confusion is not entirely cleared up. "I can't picture what you're describing," they add.
A clip of Frankel's and D'Arcy's cheesesteak musings was posted to TikTok on Monday, where it has already garnered over 420,000 views. The "House of the Dragon" cast is no stranger to viral interview moments.
In 2022, a clip of Cooke and D'Arcy went viral in which D'Arcy described their drink of choice as a negroni sbagliato with prosecco in it, to which Cooke replied, "Oh, stunning!" The video inspired an uptick in interest in that cocktail, so perhaps this latest interview will incite a newfound fascination with Philly's most famous sandwich. At the very least, can someone please get D'Arcy a (vegan) cheesesteak?
Watch the full BuzzFeed interview below:
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