Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke, born on October 23, 1986, is a renowned English actress celebrated for her diverse roles across film, television, and stage. Her breakthrough role came with her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, a character that earned her widespread acclaim and garnered nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards.
Clarke's journey into acting began with her studies at Drama Centre London, where she honed her craft and appeared in several stage productions. She made her television debut with a guest appearance in the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors in 2009, showcasing her talent at the young age of 22.


In 2013, Clarke made her Broadway debut as Holly Golightly in the play Breakfast at Tiffany's, showcasing her versatility as an actress. She also portrayed Nina in a West End production of The Seagull, although the production was suspended due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Clarke's filmography boasts an array of memorable roles, including Sarah Connor in the science fiction film Terminator Genisys (2015) and Qi'ra in the Star Wars film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). She also captivated audiences with her performances in the romantic dramas Me Before You (2016) and Last Christmas (2019).
In addition to her achievements in film and television, Clarke starred as G'iah in the Marvel Cinematic Universe miniseries Secret Invasion (2023), further solidifying her status as a versatile and talented actress across various genres and mediums.


Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke was born on October 23, 1986, in London, but she grew up in Oxfordshire. Her father, Peter Clarke, hailed from Wolverhampton and worked as a theatre sound engineer, while her mother, Jennifer, pursued a career in business and held the position of vice-president for marketing at a global management consultancy firm as of 2020. Clarke has an older brother named Bennett, who works in the entertainment industry and was part of the camera department on Game of Thrones.


Clarke's heritage is Anglo-Indian, with her maternal grandmother being of Indian origin. She has spoken openly about her family's history, revealing that her grandmother was the result of a secret affair between her great-grandmother and a man from the Indian subcontinent. Due to societal norms at the time, her grandmother had to conceal her darker complexion with makeup, which Clarke acknowledges as a testament to her family's resilience and strength. Clarke has expressed pride in her Indian heritage, emphasizing its significance in shaping her identity.


Her passion for acting ignited at a young age when she was just three years old after watching a production of the musical Show Boat. By age ten, she was already attending auditions, accompanied by her father, including one for The Goodbye Girl, a musical by Neil Simon.


Clarke received her education at Rye St Antony School in Headington and later at St Edward's School, Oxford, before leaving in 2005. Despite attending prestigious boarding schools, she has remarked on feeling like an outsider due to her background and political differences with her peers. After graduation, Clarke applied to several drama schools but was initially unsuccessful. Undeterred, she gained life experience through work and travel before ultimately enrolling at Drama Centre London, where she graduated in 2009, setting the stage for her remarkable acting career.


Emilia Clarke's career skyrocketed in 2010 when she landed the role of Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire. Daenerys, one of the last survivors of House Targaryen, undergoes a remarkable transformation from a frightened girl to a powerful leader throughout the show's eight seasons.


Initially, actress Tamzin Merchant was cast as Daenerys, but Clarke stepped into the role when the pilot episode was re-shot in early 2010. Her portrayal of Daenerys received widespread critical acclaim, with critics praising her ability to captivate audiences with her mesmerizing performance. Clarke's portrayal of the character earned her numerous award nominations and wins, including a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2019, her first nomination in the category.


Clarke's success on Game of Thrones also propelled her to become one of the highest-paid actors on television, earning between £1.2 and £2 million per episode. Despite her initial discomfort with nudity on set, Clarke grew more confident and savvy about her boundaries as she gained experience in the industry.


In addition to her role on the television show, Clarke lent her voice and likeness to the 2014 video game adaptation of Game of Thrones and made a cameo appearance during Kit Harington's monologue on Saturday Night Live in April 2019. Despite the association with her iconic character, Clarke has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to portray Daenerys, stating that she couldn't ask for a better role to be stereotyped as. However, she has also mentioned in interviews that she would have changed the way her character died if given the chance.

References

1.  Clarke, Emilia (21 March 2019). "A Battle for My Life". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
2. ^ "Celebrity birthdays for the week of Oct. 21-27". Associated Press. 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2020. Actress Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) is 32
3. ^ Marriner, Cosima (17 May 2018). "Emilia Clarke: Life after Game of Thrones". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
4. ^ "In Vogue: Emilia Clarke". Vogue. 15 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
5. ^ "Emilia Clarke's Father Gave Her This One Piece of Decorating Advice". Architectural Digest. 23 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. This philosophy, Clarke says, is due to the fact that her father, Peter, "prized education above all else."
6. ^ "Emilia Clarke Was Born to Rule". Elle. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
7. ^ Gawley, Paige (2 May 2019). "Emilia Clarke Reveals Her Brother Works on 'Game of Thrones,' Makes Filming Love Scenes Awkward". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020. He's in the camera department, which is brilliant. It's amazing," she said, before sharing the not-so-fun part of sharing the same employer.
8. ^ "Emilia Clarke's Solo Flight". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
9. ^ Aftab, Kaleem (21 November 2017). "Emilia Clarke in Bloom". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2020. Granny passed away when Clarke was 16, and the teenager took off for India with her boyfriend to scatter the ashes. "She loved India more than she loved England," Clarke says. "Fuck, yeah. I love that part of me—I'm like one-eighth Indian."
10. ^ #People (3 April 2019). "Emilia Clarke once divulged to her mother how Game of Thrones ends". People Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
11. ^ "Game of Thrones Star Emilia Clarke: I Feel Just Like Khaleesi in Real Life". Now. TI Media. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
12. ^ "OSE to star in new HBO drama". St Edward's School. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011.
13. ^ Lloyd, Kate (31 May 2016). "Emilia Clarke on 'Me Before You', 'Game of Thrones' and getting naked onscreen". Time Out. Time Out Group. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
14. Cusack, Jenny (16 May 2019). "Emilia Clarke | Put a Record On, Watch the World Grow". Flaunt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2020. She describes her school in Oxford as "posh." Most of the people there were from Conservative backgrounds, which meant she and a few friends often felt like outsiders.