BORN TO REIGN
Where to from Game Of Thrones, Emilia Clarke?
AS THE FINAL SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES AIRS, ITS MOST MEMORABLE STAR MOVES ONTO THE BIG SCREEN
THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT EMILIA CLARKE IS HOW QUICK SHE IS TO LAUGH – and she’s even quicker to smile. And so she might. Seven years after getting her break on Game Of Thrones, the 32-year-old British actor has earned global fame thanks to her role as Daenerys Targaryen, the haughty queen with the striking platinum hair, Mother of Dragons and Protector of the Realm. It was the role of a lifetime, and one she had to leave behind her this year, after filming the eighth and last season (hitting our screens on April 15). >
“AT THE SAME TIME AS MY CHARACTER WAS BECOMING STRONGER, I WAS BECOMING MORE SELFCONFIDENT AS A WOMAN”
“SAYING GOODBYE TO GAME OF THRONES WAS NOT AN EASY THING”
Her next move, however, was to a galaxy far, far away. The actor won a role in Solo: A Star Wars Story, a spin-off of the Star
Wars franchise, and has several other high-profile film projects on the go. Talking to her, you soon realise there’s something about her that makes her a truly 21st-century celebrity. If you’re one of those rare people who’s never watched Game
Of Thrones, the name Emilia Clarke might not mean much to you. If you have, however, she’s one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. That’s the Emilia paradox. As the series draws to a close, her fame – established by that single role – eclipsed that of an actress with more roles under her belt. As the audience watched her mature over the years, they developed a deep rapport with her.
“There’s a clear parallel between me and Daenerys,” explains Clarke. “At the same time as my character in the show was gaining importance and becoming stronger season after season, I was becoming more self-confident as a woman and as an actor. All of this was happening as the show became more successful. How could a role like that not have a huge impact on me?”
When a long-running show like this ends, it’s inevitable that audience and actors alike will feel a wrench. “Saying goodbye to
Game Of Thrones was not an easy thing to do,” says Clarke. “It was a life-changing experience, like when you leave home to start your own life. You’re excited for new adventures, but your heart’s breaking for everything you’re leaving behind. I was 24 years old when I started to play this role. It’s occupied most of my adult life.”
Raised in the English countryside, an hour outside London, she’s always been very close to her parents, a theatre sound engineer and a businesswoman. Clarke is one of those people who absolutely adores their parents (yes, they do exist). “When we finished shooting Game Of Thrones I had three dragons tattooed on my wrist, so I’d never forget everything I owe to this show – but also because they remind me of my brother, my mum and my dad. That’s really important to me, as I lost my dad two years ago. It’s been very hard, and it means I want my family with me all the time.”
Blessed with a very millennial brand of common sense, she’s brimming with so much wisdom, she could practically write a selfhelp book. “I’ve tried not to be too distracted by success,” she says. “I know in the movie industry things can change so fast. What’s valued one day can be completely abandoned the next day… I’ve never wanted to put myself in a situation where if everything changed tomorrow, it would affect me. If everything goes well, that’s great. If not, that’s okay too.”
In person, Clarke is a long way from her most famous screen role as a remote, austere royal. On Instagram and on TV chat shows, she shows a taste for self-deprecating humour, happily throwing herself into pranks. “I love laughing and joking around,” she agrees. “I always try to make the best of every situation. One day a friend of mine had to promote his movie but he was so exhausted. I made him laugh so hard that he actually managed to go and do it! I really believe that whatever the circumstances you have to laugh about the situation – it just makes everything more bearable.”
With that kind of attitude, it’s no surprise it doesn’t bother her when people walk straight past her in the street. “Sometimes, people don’t recognise me because of the white wig and the costumes I wear in Game Of Thrones. That’s fine by me! Of course, I’m very happy that people enjoy my work in the show, but at the same time, it’s always a little weird when strangers come up and talk to me. Fortunately, I have a small group of very close friends and a family who keep me down to earth in case I get too big-headed. They’re like: ‘Why is this person approaching you? Oh yeah, I forgot, you’re famous!’”
As a trained actor (she graduated from the prestigious Drama Centre London) and someone with a thirst for knowledge – she has a wide vocabulary and pithy turn of phrase – she works away at her profession as if it’s just another craft. Often, however, she manages to combine work and play. The ad campaign for the Dolce & Gabbana fragrance The Only One, in which she plays a singer, taps into her passion for music, which was passed down by her dad. “I love the campaign for Dolce & Gabbana – it reminds me of Sophia Loren; the image of a strong woman, simple and beautiful,” she says. “I couldn’t dream of playing a better part – a beautiful Italian woman singing in a trattoria.” The modern multi-hyphenate plays the guitar and writes songs, too, and she thinks she might record an album one day.
Standing up for herself might just be another of her skills. She’s involved with the Time’s Up movement, which fights against sexual harassment in the workplace, and this outspoken activism extends to the way she’s managing her career. “I love being an actor, it’s my whole life,” says Clarke. “But in the future I’d love to do more producing, to be where the big decisions are made. In this industry, the ideal is to create the artistic projects you want to participate in – that’s the best way to feel really fulfilled.”
Given her breakthrough role of Daenerys Targaryen, the queen without a throne who takes her rightful place at the head of an army of freed slaves, Clarke is often seen as an outspoken feminist. Does being a role model ever get tiring? “No, because having a platform to express yourself is amazing, and it can encourage other women to speak up. Of course, there is a pressure when you are a ‘role model’, but if you’re honest with yourself and with other people, if you talk about your own weaknesses and difficulties, it’s a way of being heard. I’ve always thought my problems are the same as everyone else’s.”
A queen who doesn’t differentiate between herself and her subjects. Is Clarke bringing a scent of revolution to Hollywood?
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