Emilia Clarke, renowned for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the critically acclaimed series *Game of Thrones*, has expressed her ongoing disappointment regarding her character’s demise. The final episode of the show, which aired in 2019, left fans divided and Clarke is no exception. In a recent interview with *Variety*, she revealed that, despite the passage of time, she is still “bummed” about the conclusion of Daenerys’s arc and the manner of her character’s death at the hands of Jon Snow, portrayed by Kit Harington.
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Reflecting on her character’s fate, Clarke recalled the moment when she first read the scripts for the series’ last season. “I just landed from a holiday and turned my phone on, and it went ‘Bing.’ Of course, there it is,” she recounted, referring to the first scripts that revealed Daenerys’s destiny. The actress described how she was so overwhelmed by the unfolding events in the script that she walked out of her home in a daze, forgetting her keys and phone. “It was kind of super, super intense,” she admitted, underscoring the profound connection she felt to her role over the years.
Clarke’s emotional reaction to Daenerys’s ending diverged notably from her sentiments when concluding other projects. “You always get a bit emotional at the end of every single shoot. But this was like, ‘I don’t know what’s happening to me’—kind of crying. It was such a significant part of my life that was the entryway to my career,” she explained. The experience was compounded by the subsequent global pandemic, plunging her into what she described as an “existential crisis.”
In a light-hearted moment during the interview, Clarke acknowledged the intensity of her feelings about Jon Snow’s betrayal. “Outside of the controversy around her actions, him killing me really bummed me out,” she said, indicating her commitment to the character, which included burning cities in the name of their shared ambition. “Kinda rude. I gave that man everything,” she added with a mix of humour and heartache. As the conversation progressed, she jokingly declared, “I’m over it, clearly. I’m so over it, it’s unreal. Livid.”
Despite her mixed feelings about the series finale, Clarke expressed gratitude for the time spent portraying Daenerys. “I’m grateful to her. She taught me a lot,” she noted, highlighting the character’s profound impact on her personal and professional growth. Clarke has been candid about how the popular series shaped her early career, stating that she now appreciates the significance of her role more deeply as time passes.
In an earlier interview in 2024, she remarked, “The more distance I have from *Game of Thrones*, the more I can quantify it.” Reflecting on her initial experiences on the show, she acknowledged a lack of understanding about the monumental success it would achieve. “When I started, you don’t know what you’re doing… you don’t know what you’re taking part in,” she explained. With hindsight, she has come to see her experience as “incredibly special” and “incredibly rare.”
Now, Clarke is preparing to take on new challenges as she steps back onto the small screen in the upcoming series *PONIES*, premiering in January 2026. Her role alongside Haley Lu Richardson follows two widows who take matters into their own hands, enlisting with the CIA during the turbulent backdrop of Soviet-era Moscow. Describing this new venture, she noted, “This was meant to be.”
Emphasising the significance of her return after nearly seven years, Clarke shared, “It was definitely like, ‘Okay, Emilia, think about this. Are we ready to dive back into this?’ But the script was undeniable.” She expressed excitement about collaborating with Richardson, highlighting the chemistry they developed as sisters in the show.
With her long-standing relationship with Daenerys behind her and a new role ahead, Emilia Clarke continues to navigate her journey in the entertainment industry while fondly remembering the powerful legacy of *Game of Thrones*. The mixed emotions surrounding her character’s fate reflect not only her attachment to the role but also the indelible mark it has left on her career and personal life.