Many fans ofGame of Thronesclaim thatEmilia Clarkeis the only reason they kept watching the show from start to finish. She is internationally known as Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, and the Breaker of Chains—a long introduction, but one that is well suited for a game-changer role and an incredible performance that gave the show more weight.
Clarke’s undeniable talent in portraying the character’s traits ofvaliance, determination, and raw power, along with the director’s help in bringing the best out of her, won her a few nominations and a Saturn award (an American award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.) The world knows her mainly through her role as the blonde queen who spits fire when she is angry. It is no surprise that such big roles tend to overshadow the actors behind them.
However, there is a lot more to Clarke, the actress, that can be equally fascinating. Here are ten things you probably did not know about this talented star.
Related:Emilia Clarke’s 5 Best Performances, Ranked
10Fans Don’t Recognize Her in Public
Despite the wide acclaim that the show, and particularly her role, had received, Clarke is still not recognized by her fans. She reported being completely overlooked by fans when they would approach her co-actors to have a picture with them. She knows this is mainly because of her off-set brown hair that looks nothing like Khaleesi’s light-blond, and carefully braided wig.
Although this is something she speaks about very jokingly, you could feel a little bit of disappointment in her voice—this could be the reason why she tried to get the wig as a token of remembrance from the set but was unfortunately not able to.
But things are slowly changing with Clarke’s performance inseveral other movies likeMe Before YouandTerminator Genisys. Through these roles, she is presented to the public with a more natural look that will permit her fans to recognize her better.
9She Was Bullied for Her Eyebrows
Clarke’s eyebrows can be considered one of her quirks. On several talk shows, she would show off her ability to play with them, shape them and move them in whatever direction she wanted. It is quite fascinating, and fun to watch. They are a prominent feature of her face that she grew to cherish as she grew older. However, she did speak about them being a cause for scorn among her peers and friends when she was younger.
In fact, very few people can get past high school without havinga few bullying stories to tell.What matters is that bullying did not stop our beloved actress from having the confidence she needed to audition for the role that brought her unparalleled fame. It is, indeed, true that behind every success story is a chapter of overcoming struggles and finding one’s true power.
Related:George R. R. Martin Wanted at Least Ten Seasons of Game of Thrones
8She Once Did the Funky Chicken Dance in an Audition
Auditions are usually quite seriousfor actors. They take them to heart and bring their best foot forward in order to land the role. Clarke was no exception. In fact, she took it too seriously that it ended up bringing everyone to hysterical laughter. After saying her lines and displaying her skills in front of the jury, it was time for her to leave the audition room.
However, our determined actress did not know what to do next. So, when she asked, one of the juries jokingly pointed out she should do a dance. Without hesitation, Clarke starts doing the funky-chicken dance movements as it was the only one she knew. This, of course, had no impact on the final decision to bring her in, but it had certainly lightened up the mood and brought some fun into the hectic process.
7She Worked 6 Regular Jobs
The funky-chicken dance that she did at the audition is not the only thing that reflects the actress’s determination to succeed. She also reportedworking six regular jobsin order to make ends meet, before landing her once-in-a-lifetime role. This fact might be surprising to most of us; especially when we try to fit the great Mother of Dragons in jobs like waitressing or being a call center agent. Our imagination cannot run that wild.
We might, however, find the fact that she is also a licensed real estate agent a little less hard to believe because of her talents of persuasion and negotiation on the show. So yes, Clark proved that she can be a glamorous actress but also someone who can pay her own bills before becoming a hot-shot actress. And working several jobs at the same time is but a testimony of her work ethic which could also be felt on screen.
No matter what the young actress is going through, she keeps pushing forward.
Clarke’s first health crisis happened during Season 1 and then again in Season 3 when she was diagnosed with subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is, simply put, bleeding that occurs in the space surrounding the brain; especially when one or several blood vessels burst out. This condition can have serious lifetime repercussions on the patient.
But luckily, Clarke’s healing went smoothly, and she walked out of it scratch free—a move expected from the Mother of Dragons. Not one single episode during those two seasons when she was struggling with this health condition reflected her crisis. For this alone, Clarke deserves an Oscar for the bravest, most committed actress.
The fascinating part is not that she surviveda three-hour-long brain surgeryand continued filming without taking a break, but it is also that she did not inform her co-actors about what was happening to her in order to protect their performance and focus. It just seems like our actress does not need dragons to be a hero.
5Nude Scenes Terrified Her
Nudity inGame of Thronesis very recurrent, even the casual viewer can tell you. And even though it never reflected on their performance, some actors found it hard to reconcile with this particular side of the show. Clarke openly admitted feeling uncomfortable while she was shooting scenes of nudity. She considers that she was pressured into it and that she wanted nothing more than to have some say in which part of her body would be revealed on screen.
Well into the final seasons, Clarke finally put her foot forward and made her boundaries known and respected in that regard.
Related:Emilia Clarke Admits She Hasn’t Watched House of the Dragon: ‘I Just Can’t Do It’
4She Speaks Multiple Languages
“Valyrian is my mother tongue.” This was the linesaid by Clarke in high Valyrianduring one of the most memorable scenes ofGame of Throneswhere she subverts the power of the masters and “takes what is hers”.
This multilingual skill is also an off-screen talent for Clarke. She speaks, although not very fluently, French, Italian, and German. Some studies show that multilingualism is closely connected to better brain development and stronger emotional intelligence. If Clarke seems to have it all onscreen, it’s probably because she really does.
3She is a Perfect Singer
It’s hard to believe that so many gifts can be condensed into one person. Clarke will tell you it’s possible. The actress has a mesmerizing voice. This hidden talent of hers was revealed in 2019 when she performed in the movieLast Christmas. At first, fans believed it was a playback but lo and behold, it was nothing but one of the actress’s incredible talents. In a beautiful scene full of cheer, she started singing and gave her fans another reason to be the “queen they voted for.”
2She Has Dragon Tattoos
Game of Thronesis not a show you may easily move on from. Especially not if you spent many years being a part of it and giving it your all. Clarke realized she will always be, in one way or another, the Mother of Dragons. Even though the actress did not ride a real dragon, she built a strong relationship with these fictional creatures who helped to build many aspects of her character.
To each their own when it comes to commemorating events and things that they hold dear; ourGame of Thronesstar decided to tattoo three dragons on her wrist hoping to take this experience with her wherever she goes. Who can honestly blame her when the idea of dragon tattoos is appealing to so many fans as well?
Related:These Are the Best Movies About Dragons
1Acting Is Her Childhood Dream Job
We mentioned earlier that Clarke worked several jobs to pay her bills, but the actress never lost sight ofher real dream which is acting.In one of her interviews, she mentioned that the idea of becoming an actress was planted in her mind at the age of 3 years old. The beautiful thing to take from this is that she did not let her desire of becoming part of Hollywood become an obsession and result in frustration. She kept a balance between working jobs in order to survive the harsh economy and at the same time, keeping the window to her dream open. Thankfully, it gave enough time for George R. R. Martin to put together the incredible story for the iconic show.
This article gives a quick glance at what the life of the amazingGame of Thronesactress can be like behind the scenes. Knowing these incredible facts about her life can only increase the love and appreciation that she has already earned.
