Game on

Why Emilia Clarke’s progression from Game of Thrones is there for all to see.

It says a lot for Emilia Clarke that between the filming of the eight seasons of Game of Thrones, the actress additionally managed to squeeze in appearances in two of the biggest movie franchises of all time. She played the role of Sarah Connor opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator Genisys in 2015, before starring as Qi’ra in the Star Wars spin-off Solo: A Star Wars Story three years later.

In more recent times, the Brit has been swaying her influence around dramatic material of a rather more grounded nature, from an extended theatre turn in Anya Reiss’s adaptation of Harold Pinter’s The Seagull, to voiceover excellence in animated adventure, The Amazing Maurice. And in 2023 she takes her first steps into executive producer responsibilities in The Pod Generation.

It all adds up to a slew of work that belies her 36 years, although in recent times she sees her progression both professionally, and personally – Clarke has recovered from two brain aneurisms and says she is in the best health of her life –as a marker to a renewed zeal for her craft, that is carrying her forward with genuine momentum.

“Firstly, I think it was important for me to move away from that tight stricture of Game of Thrones,” she begins. “Although it was an evolving storyline and it captivated minds and hearts for so long, ultimately you are kept in a restricted place. Certainly, as far as characterisation goes, there is very little movement, and actors need to keep flexing their muscles on a variety of different things in order to stay fresh.”

Clarke admits she was always slightly at odds with her character Dany’s brazen fearlessness in Game of Thrones. “I do feel I learned a lot from her - I have taken on some of her security and have tried to embrace that wonderful fearlessness she has, but deep down that’s not my nature.

“I have a very easy-going and vulnerable side and that will always be who I am.”

Indeed, while Clarke is in many ways pleased to see the back of Thrones, you sense she may be lured back; after all, so much of her adult life has been centred around the story - she was just 23 when filming for the first scenes began.

“I think as an actor there is always a strong sensation of not wanting to be left out, and not wanting to miss out,” she admits, rather candidly. “That could be for Thrones or any other project, to be honest… so we’ll see!”