Emilia Clarke opens up more about the health issues she faced during the Game of Thrones era. The actor is widely known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of the last Targaryen king who notably becomes known as the "Mother of Dragons," in the HBO series. Throughout the seasons, Daenerys seeks to conquer Westeros and restore her family's dynasty, gathering support and armies along the way.
Clarke has previously opened up about health issues she's faced. In a 2019 piece she wrote for The New Yorker, Clarke discussed recovering from two aneurysms, one that happened after she wrapped on Game of Thrones season 1 and one after wrapping season 3. The first aneurysm did not require invasive surgery, but because the second was more serious, she had to be surgically treated. She revealed she went through terrible pain, experienced horrifying emotions, and dealt with some temporary memory loss during these time periods.
Now, per BBC One's Sunday Morning (via Yahoo! News), Clarke reveals there's more to the story of her health issues. She explains that, although she may have come off as optimistic when discussing her past condition, the aneurysms she experienced were very serious. Not only was she lucky to have survived them at all, but that she's been able to continue her life and work unimpeded is very unusual. Read what Clarke says below:
The amount of my brain that is no longer usable – it’s remarkable that I am able to speak, sometimes articulately, and live my life completely normally with absolutely no repercussions. I am in the really, really, really small minority of people that can survive that.
Thankfully, just like her character Daenerys, Clarke is a survivor who been able to overcome obstacles. After she first opened up about the brain aneurysms she suffered, Clarke went on to launch her own charity called SameYou. The organization's aim is to aid in improving recovery treatment for survivors of brain injury and stroke. Since Game of Thrones season 8 aired, fans of the show have launched fundraisers for SameYou, and one group was able to donate over $25,000 to Clarke's charity.
Despite the fact that the Game of Thrones finale wasn't well-received by a lot of fans, from their public backing of her charity work, it's clear that the bonds the fandom formed with the show's stars live on. Daenerys might not be returning to the screen anytime soon, with the actor having confirmed she's comfortable leaving the role behind her, but Clarke's incredible recovery thankfully means audiences will see more from the talented performer in the future. And, with a main role coming in the MCU Disney+ show Secret Invasion, SameYou could soon experience a significant boost in its reach.
Source: Yahoo! News