Emilia Clarke Has Had Enough of Fantasy Role After Eight Years on Game of Thrones, Says She Won't Get on a Dragon Again
In an interview with The New York Times as part of the press tour for her new Peacock series "Ponies," Emilia Clarke revealed that she is done with fantasy roles after spending eight years playing Daenerys Targaryen on HBO's Game of Thrones. The actress, who earned four Emmy nominations for her portrayal of the Mother of Dragons, declared that fans are unlikely to see her get back on a dragon or even in the same frame as one again.
Clarke's comments come after the show's tumultuous final season, where Daenerys' transformation into the Mad Queen sparked outrage among viewers. The actress herself was caught off guard by this twist, saying she didn't see it coming and was speechless when she read the final scripts. She recalled feeling so overwhelmed that she took a five-hour walk out of her house to clear her head.
The actress also discussed how difficult it was for her to cope with the emotional fallout from Daenerys' death. She called her mother to talk her down, saying "I read the scripts and I don’t want to tell you what happens but can you just talk me off this ledge?" Clarke also admitted to asking her family weird questions about people's opinions on Daenerys, highlighting the intense emotional investment she had in the character.
While Clarke acknowledged that some viewers were upset with how quickly Daenerys' transformation occurred, she has since made peace with the show and its ending. In a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times, she said she was annoyed that the series prioritized set pieces over dialogue scenes and character work. When asked if she had fully come to terms with the finale by the Hollywood Reporter last year, Clarke replied confidently: "I really have. I really, really, really have."
In a more philosophical tone, Clarke noted that it will take her until her 90s to be able to objectively assess Game of Thrones from an external perspective, given her intense emotional connection to the character. However, she is now open to exploring other projects, including fantasy ones, on her own terms.
Clarke's comments serve as a reminder that even the most talented and dedicated actors can struggle with the emotional demands of their work. Her willingness to acknowledge these challenges and set boundaries for herself demonstrates a newfound sense of self-awareness and maturity in her career.
In an interview with The New York Times as part of the press tour for her new Peacock series "Ponies," Emilia Clarke revealed that she is done with fantasy roles after spending eight years playing Daenerys Targaryen on HBO's Game of Thrones. The actress, who earned four Emmy nominations for her portrayal of the Mother of Dragons, declared that fans are unlikely to see her get back on a dragon or even in the same frame as one again.
Clarke's comments come after the show's tumultuous final season, where Daenerys' transformation into the Mad Queen sparked outrage among viewers. The actress herself was caught off guard by this twist, saying she didn't see it coming and was speechless when she read the final scripts. She recalled feeling so overwhelmed that she took a five-hour walk out of her house to clear her head.
The actress also discussed how difficult it was for her to cope with the emotional fallout from Daenerys' death. She called her mother to talk her down, saying "I read the scripts and I don’t want to tell you what happens but can you just talk me off this ledge?" Clarke also admitted to asking her family weird questions about people's opinions on Daenerys, highlighting the intense emotional investment she had in the character.
While Clarke acknowledged that some viewers were upset with how quickly Daenerys' transformation occurred, she has since made peace with the show and its ending. In a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times, she said she was annoyed that the series prioritized set pieces over dialogue scenes and character work. When asked if she had fully come to terms with the finale by the Hollywood Reporter last year, Clarke replied confidently: "I really have. I really, really, really have."
In a more philosophical tone, Clarke noted that it will take her until her 90s to be able to objectively assess Game of Thrones from an external perspective, given her intense emotional connection to the character. However, she is now open to exploring other projects, including fantasy ones, on her own terms.
Clarke's comments serve as a reminder that even the most talented and dedicated actors can struggle with the emotional demands of their work. Her willingness to acknowledge these challenges and set boundaries for herself demonstrates a newfound sense of self-awareness and maturity in her career.
It's no wonder she took a 5-hour walk out of her house to clear her head after finding out about Daenerys' twist 
. And wow, talking to her mom about how upset she was is pretty relatable. I think it's awesome she's now open to exploring other projects on her own terms and not feeling pressured by fans or expectations 
. She needs time to focus on herself and recharge before getting back into another intense role 
.
I feel Emilia Clarke's frustration is totally relatable, you know? I mean, playing Daenerys Targaryen was an incredible experience, but eight years is a looong time to be emotionally invested in one character. 
She had me hooked from the start, you know? I was literally screaming at my TV when Jon Snow betrayed her 
. But for real though, it's crazy how invested you get in these characters and storylines. I've been rewatching GoT for the millionth time since its finale and I'm still finding new stuff to analyze 
Clarke's comments about needing time to assess the show from an external perspective makes total sense to me... I mean, who hasn't gotten caught up in a fictional world only to realize it's actually just our own emotions playing out? Anyway, I'm hyped to see what she does next - maybe she'll surprise us and get back on a dragon 
like eight years is a looong time to be invested in one character especially when it feels like the show just kinda throws out an entire direction of storyline without warning...i mean daenerys' transformation was super confusing and i can imagine how Emilia felt about that lol anyway, it's cool that she's open to exploring other projects now but like she needs a break or something 
also, it's so interesting that she says she won't get back on a dragon again bc it's clear she loves the character but can't keep playing her