British TV Host Apologizes After Botching Actor’s Pronouns
“House of the Dragon” star Matt Smith subtly corrected journalist Sue Perkins after she repeatedly misgendered his co-star Emma D’Arcy, who goes by they/them pronouns.

Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Sky/NOW
A British TV host has apologized for accidentally misgendering House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy during the red carpet premiere of the series’ second season.
Sue Perkins was subtly corrected by House of the Dragon co-star Matt Smith after she continued to misgender D’Arcy as “she” during an interview at the event in London’s Leicester Square. D’Arcy identifies as non-binary and uses “they/them” pronouns.
“I was talking to Emma, and she was saying, she was talking about how amazing that end scene was... and she gave you all the credit,” Perkins said to Smith, who replied, “I can’t take the credit, but I have to say they are… aren’t they brilliant? They are absolutely brilliant and you’re in for a real treat with Emma this year, I think.”
Matt correcting Sue on Emma's pronouns OH MY HEART 😭 pic.twitter.com/G6kBssjIG2
— gee 🗡 (@uncledaddyism) June 10, 2024
After copping flack on Twitter for the error, Perkins posted a response to X labeling it a “shitty mistake.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“Had loads of stuff going on in my earpiece and so wasn’t as focused as I should have been. No excuses though. These things matter and I feel terrible about it,” Perkins continued. “Am a massive fan of their work and would never want to be disrespectful x.”
D’Arcy has been relatively open about their identity. In Oct. 2022, they told E! News on the Golden Globes red carpet that they felt like they had to “pretend to present as a women in order to find success in this industry.”
Sign Up for Our Beast Digest Newsletter
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Describing the situation as “unsustainable,” they decided to “stop pretending.”
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
