“Emilia Clarke Reflects on Overcoming Life-Threatening Brain Aneurysms During Game of Thrones”

It’s no exaggeration to say that the premiere of Game of Thrones on April 11, 2011, launched numerous careers. Based on George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon that continues to resonate today, thanks to spin-offs like House of the Dragon and the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

However, the journey wasn’t without its challenges for the cast, some of whom dedicated a decade to the eight-season saga. In a recent chat on How to Fail With Elizabeth Day, Emilia Clarke, who portrayed the iconic Daenerys Targaryen, opened up about the profound effects of her two brain aneurysms during the show’s early seasons.

Clarke experienced her first aneurysm shortly after finishing the first season, necessitating surgery. While she was recovering, doctors discovered a smaller rupture on the opposite side of her brain that was deemed too small for intervention. Unfortunately, by 2013, while living in New York, a brain scan revealed that this rupture had grown and required immediate surgery. Although she navigated the procedure successfully, it came with complications that left her feeling as if she had “cheated death.”

Despite the severity of her condition, Clarke chose not to disclose the full extent of her health issues to anyone on set, aside from the showrunners. “I felt like it was my duty to say ‘I didn’t die, so everything’s fine!’” she recounted. “I shut down emotionally. […] I just couldn’t look anyone in the eye.”

Clarke’s recovery was a challenging process. She had to relearn basic skills like speaking and walking, and while she was eager to return to Game of Thrones and other projects, it was a complicated time for her. Whether at home or in public, the onset of a headache would trigger anxiety, including a moment during a live MTV interview when she feared something terrible was about to happen.

Looking back, Clarke acknowledges that she may have rushed back to work too soon, but promoting Game of Thrones at San Diego Comic-Con just six weeks after her surgery proved beneficial. “Without my work, I don’t know what I would have done,” she reflected.

Though Clarke’s character Daenerys met a controversial end, and fans still debate the reception of the eighth season, she has gained some perspective over time. Her feelings about the series evolve each year. “It was way too big for me to comprehend even a year after it happened,” she shared. “It’s like reminiscing about high school; it was a decade of my life. Those friendships and relationships became like family. […] There were tough times, but also incredible moments—there was life!”

“Reflecting on Game of Thrones, the magnitude of it is a lived experience that I felt while filming. […] It was like lightning in a bottle. That was my youth! This extraordinary journey, and I was part of it.”