Emilia Clarke made her breakthrough performance as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. The actress convincingly portrayed the complex arc of the character, from a nimble and anxious girl to a powerful (and even dangerous) woman later on. The actress pulled off some intense and emotionally complex scenes with such conviction and grace throughout the show.
Her impressive performance led her to be nominated for Emmys multiple times. While audiences know about what she brought on-screen to the role, the actress also made some significant contributions behind the scenes. Clarke improvised a pivotal scene from season 5 using the fictional Valyrian language which made it more effective than the initial take that was shot in English.
Emilia Clarke Brilliantly Improvised A Lengthy Game Of Thrones Scene in Valyrian On The Spot
In interviews, Emilia Clarke is always jolly and having the time of her life which is a complete contrast to her Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. The actress completely transformed into her character and dives deep into what makes Daenerys click. The character slowly rose her ranks from an exiled princess to the ruler of Meereen by season 4 of the show.
By the time season 5 came around, Clarke knew Daenerys inside and out and was aware of her peculiar behaviors and traits. One pivotal scene in the season saw Daenerys ordering the execution of three Meereenese noblemen who she thinks are conspiring against her. The scene was originally shot in English but the showrunners thought it would be better if it was delivered in the show’s fictional Valyrian language.
The director of the particular episode, Jeremy Podeswa, told Entertainment Weekly‘s James Hibberd that he requested Clarke to figure out a way to deliver her speech in the scene in Valyrian, The actress surprisingly agreed and she came up with a compelling monologue (by putting together certain Valyrian words Daenerys had spoken in the past) within 10 minutes. Podeswa said,
I went over to Emilia and I was like, ‘I know this is a really big ask, but do you think you could figure out a way to do this in Valyrian?’ She said, ‘Yeah, sure, I think I can do this.’ And I’m all, “Really?” Then she went off and cobbled together things that [Daenerys] had said in the past that made sense. She came back in 10 minutes and had this whole monologue down.
This incredible improvisation paid off as it made the scene far more effective and terrifying. Clarke was nominated for an Emmy Award four times for her role on the hit HBO show. Despite the dismal final season, fans continue to appreciate her complex portrayal of the Mother of Dragons who went berserk in the aforementioned final season.
Emilia Clarke Felt Unhappy Multiple Times While Working On Game of Thrones
Playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones changed everything for Emilia Clarke who became an overnight sensation with the show’s success. However, the fame that came with it as well as her personal tragedies was not something that the actress was ready to juggle while also trying to do a great job on the show.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Clarke revealed that as a young woman in her 20s, she felt sad many times during her tenure on the hit show. She was also dealing with a lot of personal issues like her aneurysms and the tragic loss of her father, and thus it was a very confusing period in her life. However, the actress is grateful for her time on the show and the love she received from it. Clarke said,
There were times when I was really sad on that show, just simply because I was a young woman in her 20s. All of that happening while ‘Game of Thrones’ was happening, it sometimes could be very confusing. Daenerys, I hope, is associated with a certain caliber of work, so lucky me that that’s the case.
After her tenure on Game of Thrones, Clarke joined another hit franchise that is the MCU with 2023’s Secret Invasion. Unfortunately, her role as well as the show was heavily criticized by fans, unlike her Game of Thrones stint.
Fans can watch Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones on Max.
