Olivia Cooke’s series ‘Vanity Fair’ finds new streaming home

House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke’s acclaimed but often overlooked miniseries Vanity Fair is getting a new streaming home in the United States.

The seven-episode adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1848 novel will begin streaming on BritBox in the U.S. on August 19, giving audiences another opportunity to discover one of Cooke’s standout performances before she became widely known for playing Alicent Hightower in HBO’s House of the Dragon.

Originally released in 2018, Vanity Fair follows Becky Sharp, a penniless orphan determined to rise through the rigid social hierarchy of Regency-era England. After securing a position as a governess in Hampshire, Becky uses her intelligence, ambition and social skills to navigate a world obsessed with wealth, status and appearances.

Cooke takes on the central role of Becky, portraying her as an ambitious and resourceful young woman who refuses to accept the limitations placed on her by society.

The series also features Tom Bateman, Michael Palin and Claudia Jessie, who later became widely recognized for her role as Eloise Bridgerton in Netflix’s Bridgerton.

Upon its release, Vanity Fair received strong reviews, with Cooke earning particular praise for her performance. The series currently holds an 89% average critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The new streaming release comes at an opportune time for Cooke, whose profile has risen significantly through House of the Dragon. She plays Alicent Hightower in the HBO fantasy drama, which has become one of the network’s biggest television successes.

The third season premiered on June 21 and reportedly drew 21.5 million global viewers within its first three days. The season has also averaged more than 33 million global viewers per episode, according to the figures cited in the report.