Emilia Clarke’s time on Game of Thrones was reportedly even more stressful than eating a stallion’s heart.
Playing the role of Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, on Game of Thrones was life-changing for Emilia Clarke, who was just 22 years old when she landed the leading role in one of the most popular TV shows in history.
She nearly blew the audition, but fortunately nabbed the part.
The opportunity improved her skills as an actor while also launching her to worldwide fame, but it wasn’t always easy. The British actress has revealed that there were certain parts about filming the series that were very difficult, sometimes reducing her to tears on set.
Like many Game of Thrones characters, Daenerys is involved in several scenes that aren’t for the faint of heart. Between having to carry out dangerous stunts with animals, learning new languages, and doing things that made her physically sick, Emilia Clarke was certainly challenged on set.
But what was the most difficult part about filming the iconic series? Keep reading to find out.
Emilia Clarke As Daenerys Targaryen In ‘Game Of Thrones’
In Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke portrayed the character of Daenerys Targaryen from seasons one to eight. Daenerys begins separated from the rest of the main cast, the orphaned daughter of the former king who went mad and was then murdered.
Starting as a helpless teenage girl, Daenerys rises to command armies and conquer lands across the Seven Kingdoms, finally laying claim to the Iron Throne.
Audiences warmed to Daenerys thanks to her courage, intelligence, and compassion (in the early seasons of the show, anyway). Using these attributes (and three fully grown dragons), she becomes one of the most powerful players in the game.
The Grueling Tasks Emilia Clarke Had To Perform On Set
Portraying the role of the Mother of Dragons was no easy feat for Emilia Clarke. The character required her to perform several stunts, in addition to learning new and fictional languages.
Clarke became so proficient at speaking Valyrian that she was eventually able to improvise an entire monologue in the made-up language.
In the first season, Clarke also had to eat a “horse heart” as part of Daenerys’s Dothraki pregnancy ceremony. Of course, it wasn’t a real stallion’s heart, but it was gross.
“It was very helpful to be given something so truly disgusting to eat, so there wasn’t much acting required,” Clarke confirmed (via Uproxx).
“They made the heart out of solidified jam but it tasted like bleach and raw pasta. I ate roughly 28 hearts throughout the days we filmed that scene. Fortunately, they gave me a spit bucket because I was vomiting in it quite often.”
Why Emilia Clarke Cried On Her First Day Of Filming
Clarke’s first day as Daenerys was no picnic, either. The actress ended up in tears after falling off her horse in front of the entire crew. Eventually, she did get the hang of riding horses and doing other stunts, but they required a lot of courage and persistence.
What fans might not know about Emilia Clarke is that there was something about filming Game of Thrones that the actress may have found even more difficult than falling off her horse or eating a fake horse heart.
The Nudity And Violence In ‘Game Of Thrones’
According to Mental Floss, Clarke’s earliest days on set were especially difficult because of all the nudity required of her character, as well as an infamous assault scene.
“Once, I had to take a little time out,” she revealed to Esquire. “I said I needed a cup of tea, had a bit of a cry, and was ready for the next scene.”
Over the course of her many roles, it seems that GoT was the most difficult for Emilia Clarke, and fans don’t blame her.
Emilia Clarke Is Okay With The Nudity But Wishes Things Were More Equal
Even though the London-born actress is okay with the nudity required for her character, she does wish things were a bit more equal between the male and female cast on the show.
“You know I did it, so why can’t the boys do it?” she told Stephen Colbert (via Express), demanding “junk equality.”
Game of Thrones has come under fire in the past for its sexual violence and on-screen misogyny, although there are still scenes of extreme violence carried out against the male characters.
What Other ‘Game Of Thrones’ Stars Think About The Show’s Nudity
Some of the other Game of Thrones actors have also spoken out about having to appear naked for the show. Carice Van Houten, who portrayed Lady Melisandre, revealed that she was okay with her character’s nudity because “she uses sexuality as a weapon.”
Kit Harington, who portrayed Jon Snow, told Hollywood Life that he’s okay with the actors appearing nude for the sake of the show: “It’s only right if you’re going to make a show where nudity and sex is a large part of it, that you be a part of that.”