After eight years starring in "Game of Thrones," Emilia Clarke recently made it clear she's ready to distance herself from the fantasy genre. During an interview with The New York Times while promoting her new Peacock spy series "Ponies," she stated directly that it's highly unlikely audiences will ever see her alongside a dragon again.
"You're pretty much never going to see me ride a dragon ever again, or be in a scene with a dragon ever again," Clarke stated firmly. Her comments are widely seen as her official declaration of departure from the fantasy genre.
Clarke rose to global fame for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen, a role that earned her four Emmy nominations. However, the final season of "Game of Thrones" saw Daenerys's character take a sharp turn, ultimately being depicted as a villain and meeting a controversial end, which drew significant backlash from many viewers.
Recalling her reaction to the final script, Clarke said she was almost in disbelief: "What? What? What? What?! It was completely out of the blue. I was truly stunned."
Clarke hasn't shied away from criticism regarding the rushed pacing of the final season. In past interviews, she admitted to regretting the show's later focus on visual spectacle at the expense of character development, though she also understood the production team's difficult choices under immense pressure. She emphasized that as an actor, she couldn't disavow a character she had poured years of effort into, and thus, despite her shock and confusion, she chose to fully commit to her performance.
With "Game of Thrones" prequel projects now in production, Clarke stated that she can look back on that period with a more peaceful perspective. Precisely because of such an intense emotional connection, she is temporarily unwilling to re-enter the fantasy world, choosing instead to embark on a new chapter in her career with different genres, aiming to show audiences a different side of Emilia Clarke.
via： The New York Times