It's hard to imagine anyone but Emilia Clarke playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. After all, the Solo: A Star Wars Story actress has portrayed the Mother of Dragons since the beginning of the series. However, Clarke has revealed that she was initially unsure if she would actually get the coveted role. Her hilarious audition story certainly reveals why.
Clarke recently wrote a lengthy op-ed for The New Yorker where she admitted that she had suffered two brain aneurysms while working on the show. However, the piece does have some light-hearted moments. For instance, Clarke shared why she felt she may have messed up her chance to play Daenerys during her Game of Thrones audition.
"I read for Game of Thrones in a tiny studio in Soho. Four days later, I got a call. Apparently, the audition hadn't been a disaster. I was told to fly to Los Angeles in three weeks and read for [David] Benioff and [D.B] Weiss and the network executives. I started working out intensely to prepare. They flew me business class. I stole all the free tea from the lounge. At the audition, I tried not to look when I spotted another actor––tall, blond, willowy, beautiful––walking by. I read two scenes in a dark auditorium, for an audience of producers and executives. When it was over, I blurted out, 'Can I do anything else?'
"David Benioff said, 'You can do a dance.' Never wanting to disappoint, I did the funky chicken and the robot. In retrospect, I could have ruined it all. I'm not the best dancer."
However, the dance routine may have worked for Clarke. "As I was leaving the auditorium, they ran after me and said, 'Congratulations, Princess!' I had the part," she wrote.
We're certainly glad that the producers chose Clarke for the role of Daenerys. She has truly endeared the character to Game of Thrones fans and we are all looking forward to how her story will end this year.
Clarke returns as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones Season 8, which airs on HBO on April 14.
Related: Emilia Clarke Nearly Died From Two Aneurysms While Working On Game Of Thrones
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