Abigail Thorn is ready to storm 'House of the Dragon' Season 3

Even among the established "House of the Dragon" stars at the glamorous Season 3 premiere June 21 in London − including Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith − newcomer Abigail Thorn commanded red-carpet attention.

Thorn, who joined the "Game of Thrones" spin-off in the August 2024 Season 2 finale as pirate Sharako Lohar, made a memorable statement in a striking Chris Habana one-sleeve gown with a sculpted metal chest plate.

Inspired by Thorn's favorite DC warrior comic series, "Absolute Wonder Woman," the fierce look went next-level when the British actress popped a heroic biceps flex for the camera.

"I wanted to celebrate my favorite character, this strong action character. And it was a reflection of my role in the show," Thorn, 33, tells USA TODAY. "Women in the U.S. and U.K. are going through a lot right now, especially queer women. I wanted to be a signal of strength on the red carpet to show that we're here and not afraid."

If that power message didn't transmit globally on the red carpet, it will in the "House of the Dragon" Season 3 premiere (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on HBO and streaming on HBO Max). Sharako plays an epic role in the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet, the massive naval clash that dominates the premiere.

The admiral's swagger, battlefield bravado and desire for revenge will be sung by the bards of Westeros and serve as a breakthrough showcase for Thorn, a playwright and YouTuber who came out in January 2021 as a transgender woman in a video on her Philosophy Tube channel.

After starring as the Force-sensitive witch Ensign Eurus in two episodes of the "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" in 2024, Thorn auditioned for the gender-swapped "House of the Dragon" role, based on a thinly sketched male character in George R.R. Martin's book "Fire & Blood."

"The first thing they told me in the auditions is that she's completely bonkers," says Thorn, who listened in on another audition before offering her own interpretation. "I was like: 'That's not who she is. Let me try.' I did my own thing."

The sometimes jovial, always dangerous Sharako appears in the Season 2 finale and agrees to Tyland Lannister's (Jefferson Hall) request to lend the Triarchy's fleet to King Aegon II's war effort. The forces also happen to be led by Sharako's longtime bitter rival, the Sea Snake, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint).

After granting his request to aid his cause, Sharako insists the uptight Lannister prove his worth by wrestling her in a mud pit. The drawn-out melee was filthily entertaining and the beginning of a classic "HOD" odd-buddy pairing.

"I was up at 4 a.m. for makeup, and then Jefferson and I were rolling and wrestling in that mud all day," Thorn says. "And then I had a lot of showers."

Thorn was thrilled Sharako would sail with Lannister in Season 3 and took the opportunity to bulk up for battle. The actress says she put on more than 25 pounds of muscle for Sharako to show off aboard her flagship, the Bitchfist.

"We just have to imagine that there's a gym in the hold of the Bitchfist," says Thorn, who underwent sword training, knife training and boxing lessons for the marathon sea battle sequences.

The actress was stumped when the show's armorer laid out weapons and asked, "Which one do you fancy?"

"I told him that I wanted all of them. That's why Sharako has like nine weapons on her, with two on her back," Thorn says. "I wanted her to be festooned in knives. There's even a tomahawk that she uses and a big sword."

The Battle of the Gullet is considered the deadliest naval battle in the history of Westeros, with two ships − the Bitchfist and the Sea Snake's vessel, called The Queen Who Never Was − built inside the same 2-million-gallon water tank at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden outside London.

"The ships were on gimbals, so they really smashed into each other," Thorn says. "It wasn't fake movement like the deck of 'Star Trek.' You're fighting and the boats are moving. Water is shooting up the sides. It was all very real. Except for the sky and the dragons."

Thorn required three distinct kinds of blood for the battle scenes: facial blood from slain enemies splattered across Sharako's face each day, blood in her mouth (made from syrup and food coloring), and a head wound enhanced with rubber dust to create a fire-singed look.

The physical work aboard the real ship deck, spread across 45 days, was challenging in every way.

"I'd be up at 4 a.m. six days a week, and I'd fight stunt performers all day until about 5 or 6. I'd go home and collapse in bed at 8, and then go do it all again. It was intense psychologically as well, because you are fighting for your life every day."

The payoff has already been profound. At the premiere screening, castmates congratulated their new warrior, including D'Arcy and Abubakar Salim, who plays Sharako's mortal foe Alyn of Hull (the Sea Snake's bastard son).

"They both came up to me and said, 'You stole every scene you were in.' To hear that from actors of their caliber, that was really wonderful."