Emilia Clarke, best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, has opened up about the harsh criticism she faced early in her career.
In a recent podcast appearance, Clarke revealed she was brutally body-shamed during the early seasons of the hit HBO fantasy drama, admitting that reading media comments about her appearance left her deeply affected.
The actress also spoke candidly about the serious health challenges she endured while filming the series. Her revelations have sparked widespread empathy online, with fans praising her honesty and resilience as she reflects on a difficult chapter in her rise to global fame.
“She’s stunning. Everyone should agree,” one fan said on X.
Emilia Clarke recalls brutal body shaming early in her Game of Thrones stint
Emilia Clarke debuted as Daenerys Targaryen when Game of Thrones premiered in April 2011. Clarke, who was 24 at the time, faced intense media attention and scrutiny over her appearance.
She spoke about her sudden rise in popularity during an appearance on Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail podcast.
The actress recalled a painful body-shaming experience that led her to stop Googling herself entirely. She came across an article about her while her father was reading the newspaper.
The piece focused on her body, specifically commenting on the size of her bottom. Clarke was deeply affected after hearing the remarks about her appearance.
“It was read to me and destroyed me, completely destroyed me,” she said.
She said the experience made her stop reading articles about herself entirely.
“Game of Thrones is a racy show. There’s a lot of comments. It’s a lot of stuff,” she added.
Fans rally behind Emilia Clarke after body-shaming confession
Clarke’s comments about her body image struggles quickly gained traction online.
On X, fans came forward to support the actress and criticized negative remarks about her appearance over the years.
“What’s even funnier is that there’s not one person who looked better on the screen like EVER,” one user wrote.
The world is so messed up… Sounds like she was being celebrated for being both “normal” AND attractive?? But it still had a negative impact on her.
Shes stunning. Everyone should agree.
— Out of Context Game of Thrones (@OoC_GOT) May 14, 2026
Another fan commented, “People writing articles about her body probably look like Lord Varys behind the screen.”
“She was literally one of the most beautiful women on screen at the time; whoever said that is a lunatic that needs to be locked away,” a third person added.
She has the face on an angel, and she is always fit. Social media puts people under too much unnecessary scrutiny.
— Дани Вълчев (@LcevDani) May 14, 2026
However, some observers described Clarke as overly sensitive, arguing that she had signed up for a project involving nud*ty, which invites public scrutiny. Others pointed to social media as a factor increasing pressure on actors.
Emilia Clarke faced serious health struggles while filming Game of Thrones
During the same podcast, Clarke also discussed health struggles she faced while filming the show’s early seasons.
After the show and her character exploded in popularity, Clarke’s personal and professional life changed suddenly and dramatically. She struggled with the pressure, and shortly after wrapping the first season, she suffered a brain hemorrhage.
“I was just convinced that I had cheated de*th, and I was meant to d*e. Every day, that’s all I could think about,” the 39-year-old actress said.
Clarke later suffered a second aneurysm while performing in a Broadway play in New York. She underwent emergency brain surgery, which left her emotionally shut down and more vulnerable.
“When you have a brain injury, you move around in the world differently,” Clarke said.
Despite these health challenges, Clarke has said her work on the show helped her recover emotionally.
Game of Thrones is streaming on HBO Max.
