When you think of Game of Thrones, it’s hard not to picture Emilia Clarke commanding dragons and armies as the fearless Daenerys Targaryen. But while she was conquering kingdoms on screen, the actress was fighting a very different kind of battle off-screen, one that few fans knew about at the time.
In a new interview with Mashable Benelux, Clarke reflects on her harrowing health scare, the strength it took to keep going, and how those experiences continue to shape her life and career today. Clarke previously suffered from two life-threatening brain aneurysms in her 20s. This inspired and led her to launch SameYou in 2019, a charity dedicated to supporting people recovering from brain injuries and raising awareness about the challenges they face.
During the interview, interviewer Georgina Lara Booth asked Clarke how she is doing now. Clarke revealed that she is doing really well, though the recovery was far from easy. She explained that the fatigue following her aneurysms was the hardest part, describing it not just as tiredness but as a constant weight she had to carry. She explained how she had returned to work quickly, admitting that the fear of losing her role on Game of Thrones outweighed the fear of dying.
However, she also revealed that she's in much better health now, keeping up with regular medical scans to ensure everything is fine. Although these experiences weren't easy, Clarke told Mashable that they have given her a new perspective on life and her work. She shared that her experiences have made her a "better actress." By experiencing hardship, it has allowed her to better understand and feel what others are going through. This is something she said is essential for acting.
"I’m doing really well. At the time, the fatigue was the hardest thing - it’s so misunderstood. It’s not just being tired, it’s a weight you carry all the time. I went back to work quickly, honestly because I was more scared of being fired from Game of Thrones than of dying... I was sitting on the golden ticket as a young actress just coming out of drama school. Now I get regular scans to make sure everything is fine, and I am. If anything, my experiences have made me a better actress. The more you’ve lived, the more you can empathize with others - and that’s what acting is about."
While it's already sad that Clarke had to go through such a life-threatening ordeal at a young age, what stings even more is the fact that she felt that she had to push through her recovery quickly, fearing that taking time off might cost her the role on Game of Thrones. This isn't surprising because Hollywood can be unforgiving, often expecting actors to put their careers above everything else, even their health.
But it just sucks that she had to feel that pressure while facing something so terrifying. No one should have to choose between their health and their career, especially at such a young age. Now that Clarke is an established actress, she's probably finally able to put herself first. She's likely able to make choices without the constant fear that her career would suffer. We can only hope this becomes more of a norm in Hollywood.