The untold story behind Emilia Clarke's rise to fame

Emilia Clarke may be best known as the fierce and fearless Mother of Dragons on Game of Thrones, but her real-life journey is even more dramatic than the fantasy series that made her famous.

Behind the glamour and global fame, she has faced life-threatening health battles, endured painful surgeries, and shown incredible resilience.

Let’s take a look at her past life, how she overcame her career struggles and health issues:

Childhood dream

The 38-year-old actress knew she wanted to act since she was just three years old. But after drama school, life wasn’t easy.

She struggled for years, working as a waitress and in call centers, unable to land serious acting roles.

Breakthrough with Game of Thrones

In 2010, everything changed when HBO urgently needed a new Daenerys Targaryen for Game of Thrones.

Emilia rushed to the audition, underprepared, yet managed to win the role. The show quickly gained massive attention and viewership.

By season two, it had over 11 million viewers. Her role as the Mother of Dragons turned her into a global star.

First health crisis

But just after season one, her health collapsed. At the age of 24, Emilia suffered a brain hemorrhage.

Doctors warned she might lose her speech or memory forever. But she never gave up; only months later, she returned to the set to film the next season, silently battling through her recovery.

Surgery and struggles

In 2013, while performing on Broadway in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, doctors found another aneurysm. This time, the surgery was serious. A titanium plate was placed in her skull.

Despite the damage and constant pain, she kept working hard. And starred in multiple movies, like Me Before You, Terminator Genisys, and delivered some of the toughest scenes in Game of Thrones, all while living in fear that another stroke could strike.

Revealing the truth

In 2019, Emilia revealed the truth that she had survived two brain hemorrhages, undergone three major surgeries, and endured months of speech therapy.

That same year, she founded SameYou, a charity for brain injury survivors worldwide.

Emilia’s story is not just about fame; it’s about struggle, hard work, and resilience. No matter how many times you fall, what truly matters is how many times you get up.