Think about it: you’ve probably never seen Danny Dyer on a horse. That’s because he can’t ride one, despite having it on his acting resume. Or, at least, he couldn’t ride one until he stepped into the role of working-class millionaire Freddie in hit series Rivals – the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s romping ‘80s novels, packed with sex, scandal, and some serious heart to boot. When it came to the horseback polo scenes in the upcoming Season 2, it was officially time for Dyer to saddle up.
There was no way Dyer was going to be the only cast member not on a real horse. “The alternative is that they have a quad bike with a fake horse on the back, and they pull it along,” he tells Empire. “So the fear of having to sit on that, when everyone else was riding the horse, I was like, ‘No way. I’ve got to do this.’ And I did it!” There was one particular steed that Dyer bonded with. “Had a lovely horse called Snaffles who really did look after me,” he says. “I’m really proud of myself, actually, because I lied on my CV for all them years about being able to ride a horse, and now I actually can ride a horse.” Giddy up.
The new season is set to dial up everything that fans loved about the first run, though it now moves ahead without Jilly Cooper herself – who gave the show her blessing, and had a cameo in Season 1, but who passed away in late 2025. “She loved that I was playing Freddie,” says Dyer. “I could see a little glint in her eye every time I was talking to her, because I’m a little bit naughty as well, you know. I loved her little cheeky glint. And I’m not gonna lie — I flirted with her a lot.” If you’re in the Rutshire Chronicles, that’s exactly how you’re meant to behave.
Read Empire‘s full Rivals Season 2 feature in the Steven Spielberg issue – on sale Thursday April 9. Order a copy online here. Rivals Season 2 comes to Disney+ from May 15.
