Keith Bernstein/HBO Emilia Clarke in “Game of Thrones.â€Among the 16 Emmy nominations that went to the hit HBO fantasy series “Game of Thrones†on Thursday morning was one for Emilia Clarke, for supporting dramatic actress category for her role as Daenerys Targaryen. Over three seasons of “Game of Thrones†(which was also nominated for best drama series, and picked up acting nominations for co-stars Peter Dinklage and Diana Rigg), Daenerys has risen from the unwilling bride of a barbarian king to a warrior queen in her own right, commanding entire armies as well as a few fire-breathing dragons. Here in excerpts from the conversation, Ms. Clarke talks about the evolution of her character and when it’s sometimes better to be watching “Game of Thrones†than to be acting on it.
Good morning, Khaleesi.
Good morning. I’m in Los Angeles right now, heading out to San Diego this afternoon. I’m getting to be a brunette until the beginning of September, and then I shall don the wig.
I’m sure you would embrace the idea that “Game of Thrones†is an ensemble series. What does it mean when performers like yourself are singled out on a show like this?
It’s a phenomenal feeling. I was so hopeful that [series creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss] would be nominated for writing, that’s what my heart was hoping for, because I think they are two of the most talented, hard-working people. I’m shocked and surprised that I’m even vaguely near the same category as Peter Dinklage and Diana Rigg.
The character of Daenerys came under a lot of scrutiny, particularly in the first season of the show, for how she was presented sexually. Do you feel that she’s gotten to evolve beyond that? Was it something you had to get through, to get where she is now?
Hugely. I think that the hardships that she as a character, and that you as a viewer, had to witness, were entirely necessary to feel even close to how people hopefully do feel when she stands in front of 10,000 Unsullied with three dragons at her back and two advisers at her side. If you didn’t have the sexual exploitation of her in the beginning, if you didn’t have everything that she went through, you wouldn’t feel the way that you do towards. It was entirely necessary.
When you’re commanding the Unsullied to do what they do, what is it like to shoot a scene like that, and to have thousands of warriors at your fingertips?
It’s pretty amazing. It genuinely is invigorating and empowering to do it. It’s one of those things that normally only happens in theater, where you feel similar to how the audience is feeling, and you’re seeing the same thing that they’re seeing. In film, often you’re with a green screen and there’s only two people and after, they’re going to make it be hundreds of times more. On “Game of Thrones,†you’re looking at that many people and you’re shouting in Valyrian at them and it feels very real.
Are you pretty fluent in Valyrian at this point?
I would love to sit here and say, “Oh, yes, it’s a second language to me.†But it takes a lot of hard work and memorizing. But it flows off the tongue easier than Dothraki.
Your character was not one involved in this season’s murderousâ€Red Wedding†incident. Was that a relief to be an observer and not a participant?
I love when I’m watching stuff that I’m not in. When I watched Episode 9, I was like, “Yes, I can relax the whole time,†and be absorbed in everybody else. It was a hugely emotional thing to watch â€" we knew it was coming and we said our goodbyes â€" but I was overjoyed that I wasn’t a part of that. At least I know I’m safe. I’m over on the other side of the sea. And anyway, my dragons would burn you all.
