Emilia Clarke has revealed that not winning an Emmy for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in 'Game of Thrones' prompted her to reassess her definition of success. The actress, who was nominated for lead actress in a drama at the 2019 Emmys, admitted she was 'absolutely livid' about the way her character died in the final season and felt crushed when Jodie Comer won the award for 'Killing Eve'.
Speaking at the Hotel Café Royal in London, Clarke said she was 'embarrassed to admit that not winning an Emmy was a really significant thing'. She recalled thinking everyone was over 'Game of Thrones' and felt like 'old news'. The next morning, she vowed never to behave that way again, deciding to redefine success because she had 'a 13-year-old's idea of success'.
Clarke's path to 'Game of Thrones' was fortuitous. She was working at the London Film Museum when her agent called about the audition. After multiple rounds, she landed the role, but initially feared the explicit scenes. During a preproduction holiday, she read her scenes for the first time and 'cried with fear' at the prospect of disrobing and being fondled by her on-screen brother.
Despite the show's controversial ending, 'Game of Thrones' remains HBO's most-watched season. Clarke's film outings like 'Terminator Genisys' and 'Solo: A Star Wars Movie' underperformed, leading her to question her career choices. She now focuses on internal goals rather than external validation.
