Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones,” has opened up about her worries that her brain injuries might have cost her the iconic role.
In an interview with the UK’s Big Issue magazine, the 37-year-old actress discussed the fears she had after suffering from two brain aneurysms in 2011 and 2013.
“The first fear we all had was: ‘Oh my God, am I going to get fired? Am I going to get fired because they think I’m not capable of completing the job?'” Clarke recalled.
She even thought the stress of acting could trigger another brain hemorrhage, admitting she once thought, “Well, if I’m going to die, I better die on live TV.”
Clarke’s brain injuries left her feeling insecure and worried about her future as an actress. She revealed asking medical staff to “let her die” at one point, as she couldn’t envision continuing her career centered on communication after experiencing aphasia, a condition affecting language abilities.
However, the actress credits her brain injury journey with giving her a “superpower” of perspective. She founded the charity SameYou with her mother in 2019 to support others facing similar challenges and overcome the profound loneliness of chronic conditions.
Clarke has been open about her health struggles, including the details of her first aneurysm in 2011 that caused a stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage shortly after filming Game of Thrones’ first season. She underwent brain surgery and temporarily lost her ability to remember her own name due to aphasia.
Despite her fears at the time, Clarke not only continued her iconic role as Daenerys but has since starred in films like “Me Before You” and received an honorary Order of the British Empire. Her candid discussion aims to raise awareness and support for brain injury survivors.