Emilia Clarke admits Emmy losses were ‘significant’ during Game of Thrones era
The actress recalled fearing for her life following a devastating medical emergency
Emilia Clarke is reflecting on the highs and lows of her time on Game of Thrones, opening up about both awards disappointment and the serious health battles she faced while starring in the global phenomenon.
In a candid interview with Variety, the actress admitted that failing to win an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen was more significant to her than she had previously acknowledged.
"I'm embarrassed to admit that not winning an Emmy was a really significant thing," Clarke said, reflecting on her years with the acclaimed fantasy drama.
The actress, who received multiple Emmy nominations during the show's run, also recalled attending the awards ceremony after the series concluded and feeling as though the cultural moment surrounding Game of Thrones had passed.
Looking back on the experience, she remembered thinking, "Everyone's over 'Game of Thrones' now — you're old news."
Beyond awards recognition, Clarke discussed the profound personal challenges she endured while filming the series, including two life-threatening brain hemorrhages that dramatically altered her perspective on life.
The actress revealed that after suffering her first hemorrhage, she became consumed by fears about her future and mortality.
"I was just convinced that I had cheated death and I was meant to die," she said. "Every day, that's all I could think about."
Describing the medical emergency, Clarke said the sensation felt like "an elastic band just snapping around your brain," accompanied by overwhelming pressure.
"In that moment, I knew I was being brain-damaged," she recalled.
Several years later, Clarke suffered a second aneurysm while in New York during her Broadway run, further intensifying an already difficult period in her life.
Despite those challenges, the actress has transformed her experience into advocacy work.
In 2019, she co-founded SameYou alongside her mother, Jennifer Clarke, to support recovery services and rehabilitation resources for people living with brain injuries.