Emilia Clarke Reflects on Game of Thrones Experience
Reflecting on her tenure on Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke acknowledges its special and rare quality. Clarke emphasized the unique bond formed with fellow actors, describing the experience as “incredibly rare.” Despite the challenges in the industry, Clarke appreciates that Game of Thrones captured “lightning in a bottle.”
It’s been five years since Emilia Clarke portrayed Daenerys Targaryen on the HBO series Game of Thrones. At 37, Clarke now recognizes the show’s significance and its impact on the world. Beginning the role at 24 in 2011, Clarke earned numerous accolades, including four Emmy nominations. Since then, she has continued her successful career and launched her own production company, Magical Thinking Pictures.
Speaking with People, Clarke reflected on the show’s enduring fanbase over the years. She mentioned that during the show’s run, she couldn’t fully appreciate its magnitude but now can “quantify” her experience.
“The more distance I have from *Game of Thrones*, the more I can quantify it. When I started, you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t know what you’re surrounded by and you don’t know what you’re taking part in.”
Clarke noted that the more time passes, the more she realizes the rarity of Game of Thrones‘ success and the strong bond formed between the cast, calling it “incredibly rare.”
“Now, as more and more time goes between it and me doing it, the more I’m like, that was incredibly special and that was incredibly rare.”
Emilia Clarke Calls Game of Thrones “Lightning in a Bottle”
Debuting on HBO in 2011, Game of Thrones is based on George R.R. Martin’s novel series A Song of Ice and Fire. Although later seasons drew mixed reactions, its cultural impact is undeniable. Each week, viewers tuned in for intense political drama and speculation, forming a dedicated fandom that remains loyal even today.
Clarke, who now runs her production company, acknowledges her deeper understanding of the industry now. She understands the complexities behind-the-scenes, likening Game of Thrones to “lightning in a bottle.”
“Oh my God, I really understand how the sausage is made now… It makes me see even more just how lightning in a bottle that [*Game of Thrones*] was and how fortunate I was to have that as part of my experience as an actor. I was just incredibly, incredibly lucky to have had that experience, 100 percent.”
You can currently catch Emilia Clarke in the 2023 film, The Pod Generation, and the MCU series, Secret Invasion. She’s set to appear next in the 2025 animated comedy film, The Twits, based on Roald Dahl’s 1980 novel.
Wrapping Up
Both Game of Thrones and its prequel, House of the Dragon, are available for streaming on Max. For more information, visit HitPlay.
