Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke recalled her initial fears after finding out she was diagnosed with a brain condition in between seasons. Here's what the actress had to say.
Game of Thrones Emilia Clarke Admits Brain Condition Made Her Fear for Her Career
"When you have a brain injury, because it alters your sense of self on such a dramatic level, all of the insecurities you have going into the workplace quadruple overnight," Clarke explained to the outlet.
She added, "The first fear we all had was: 'Oh my God, am I going to get fired? Am I going to get fired because they think I'm not capable of completing the job?'"
Clarke's first aneurysm (subarachnoid hemorrhage) occurred in 2011 after ending the filming for season 1 of Game of Thrones and later on, she survived the second hit in 2013 when they were wrapping up the third season.
Although the 37-year-old managed to return to work within weeks after her first brain injury, she admitted thinking at the time that she might die of another brain hemorrhage due to stress and pressure at work: "Well, if I'm going to die, I better die on live TV."
The Journey Left the Mother of Dragons Feeling 'Profoundly Alone'
"Having a chronic condition that diminishes your confidence in this one thing you feel is your reason to live is so debilitating and so lonely," Clarke said, as suffering from the brain injury left her feeling 'profoundly alone', "That is what we're trying to overcome."
She previously felt as though she "couldn't carry on" after the brain injury, revealing she initially thought she would never act again. Since then, however, she has continued to thrive in the industry, which made her believe that others can, too, by saying, "It has given me a superpower."
In the later years, she joined Lucasfilm's Star Wars franchise as Qi'ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story as well as Marvel Entertainment's Secret Invasion as G'iah, the daughter of Talos.
She and her mother even founded their charity in 2019, SameYou, to help develop better mental health recovery for those who suffer brain injuries and advocate for change for survivors.
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