Actress Emilia Clarke's statement: - Fear of being evicted following a head injury.
Actress Emilia Clarke (37) faced a terrifying fear beyond potential death after suffering brain bleeds. It wasn't the prospect of passing away that terrified her but the possibility of being dismissed from her iconic role in "Game of Thrones." Clarke repeatedly expressed her anxiety over this scenario in interviews. In a recent chat with "Big Issue," the Daenerys Targaryen star elaborated on her dread of being fired.
Clarke shared that a brain injury alters one's self-perception "dramatically," leading to heightened concerns about one's job security.
Asking the doctors to let her die
Moments after the operation, the actress's initial thought was: "Oh no, will I be fired? Will they think I can't do the job?" Her fear was so intense that Clarke pleaded with doctors to end her life.
Despite her dark thoughts, Emilia Clarke mustered the strength to return to work. However, concerns about causing another brain bleed from work-induced stress kept resurfacing during her time with colleagues and on set. "If I have to die, then at least let it be on TV," she thought to herself.
Emilia Clarke stands up for the injured
In 2011, Clarke's first-ever brain hemorrhage occurred during the first season of "Game of Thrones;" she was only 24. Her bleed resulted in a stroke. Then, in 2013, another aneurysm was removed during surgery, which in turn caused a stroke.
For a while, Clarke was unable to speak. However, she eventually recovered without any lasting impairments. She belongs to "a really, really, really small minority" of stroke survivors, as she stated in a BBC interview.
Alongside her mother Jennifer Clarke, Clarke established the charity organization SameYou in 2019 to support the mental health of individuals with brain injuries. "The deep loneliness I experienced after my brain injury is the feeling I want to address with this charity," she told "Big Issue." "That's what we're working towards." For their efforts, Emilia and Jennifer Clarke were awarded the title of Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in February 2024 by Prince William (41).
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Despite the brain aneurysm surgery and its subsequent complications, Emilia Clarke returned to her role as Daenerys Targaryen in "Game of Thrones," constantly worrying about causing another brain bleed due to work-induced stress. This fear led to thoughts of wanting to die on set.
Emilia Clarke's courageous battle with two brain aneurysms and resulting strokes inspired her to establish the charity organization SameYou in 2019, aiming to support the mental health of individuals with brain injuries.
After her recovery, Clarke opened up about her experiences, revealing that she belonged to a "really, really, really small minority" of stroke survivors. Her fear of potential dismissal from "Game of Thrones" due to her brain injuries was also discussed in numerous interviews.
