All Hail Emilia Clarke

As the final season of Game of Thrones airs, its most memorable star moves onto the big screen.

- Patrick Williams

The first thing you notice about Emilia Clarke is how quick she is to laugh – and she’s even quicker to smile. And so she might. Seven years after getting her break on Game Of Thrones, the 32-year-old British actor has earned global fame thanks to her role as Daenerys Targaryen, the haughty queen with the striking platinum hair, Mother of Dragons and Protector of the Realm. It was the role of a lifetime, and one she had to leave behind her this year, after filming the eighth and last season (hitting our screens on April 15).

Her next move, however, was to a galaxy far, far away. The actor won a role in Solo: A Star Wars Story, a spin-off of the Star Wars franchise, and has several other high-profile film projects on the go. Talking to her, you soon realise there’s something about her that makes her a truly 21st-century celebrity.

If you’re one of those rare people who’s never watched Game Of Thrones, the name Emilia Clarke might not mean much to you. If you have, however, she’s one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. That’s the Emilia paradox. As the series draws to a close, her fame – established by that single role – eclipsed that of an actress with more roles under her belt. As the audience watched her mature over the years, they developed a deep rapport with her.

“There’s a clear parallel between me and Daenerys,” explains Clarke. “At the same time as my character in the show was gaining importance and becoming stronger season after season, I was becoming more self-confident as a woman and as an actor. All of this was happening as the show became more successful. How could a role like that not have a huge impact on me?”