Emilia Clarke has revealed that she feared being fired from Game of Thrones after suffering a brain bleed.
The 37-year-old actress, who portrayed Daenerys Targaryen in the fantasy series, experienced the brain bleed while working out in a gym in north London in 2011.
Clarke chose to keep the news of her injury largely private, not sharing it with her colleagues on the show. However, she admitted she was concerned that the show’s producers might doubt her ability to perform her role after the incident.
In 2013, doctors discovered a second brain hemorrhage while she was still filming the series.
In a recent interview with The Big Issue, Clarke discussed the challenges she faced returning to work post-injury. She explained, “When you have a brain injury, it dramatically alters your sense of self, and all your workplace insecurities are magnified.”
“The first fear we all had was: ‘Oh my god, am I going to get fired? Am I going to get fired because they think I’m not capable of completing the job?'”
Despite her fears, Clarke returned to work just weeks after her first brain bleed. She recalled the immense pressure and stress, fearing another hemorrhage might occur due to the demands of performing in front of thousands of people and cameras.
She added humorously, “Well, if I’m going to die, I better die on live TV.”
Following her recovery, Clarke and her mother, Jennifer Clarke, founded a charity to support individuals with brain injuries. Their charity, SameYou, focuses on rehabilitation services, a cause that became particularly important to Clarke after her own experiences.
Earlier this year, Clarke and her mother were honored with MBEs for their contributions through SameYou.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Clarke previously shared how “fragile, sensitive, and scared” she felt after her brain injury. She was particularly struck by the lack of staffing in rehabilitation services, which has since become a key focus of her charitable efforts.
