Emilia Clarke Movies and TV Shows: Filmography and Health

Few TV characters have sparked as much conversation as Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons. For Emilia Clarke, stepping into that role meant a decade of global fame — and two life-threatening health battles she kept private until years later. Here, we trace her career from the stage through Westeros and beyond, with key facts about her filmography, salary, and health disclosure.

Famous Role: Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones (2011–2019) ·
First Aneurysm: 2011, age 24 ·
Highest Grossing Film: Me Before You ($208 million worldwide) ·
Game of Thrones Episodes: 62 ·
Career Span: 2009–present

Six key facts about Emilia Clarke, one pattern: her career is marked by massive franchise roles and personal resilience.

Why is Emilia Clarke so famous?

The impact of Daenerys Targaryen

• Daenerys Targaryen debut in 2011, Game of Thrones (Rotten Tomatoes (accredited film review aggregator))
• 62 episodes across 8 seasons (TV Guide (celebrity credits database))
• Role defined her career and brought global recognition (Wikipedia (community-maintained encyclopedia))

Emilia Clarke’s fame is almost entirely built on her portrayal of the Mother of Dragons. The character’s arc from exiled princess to ruthless ruler captivated audiences and made Clarke a household name. But she also demonstrated range in other genres, from romantic drama to sci-fi.

Other notable roles

• Me Before You (2016) – romantic drama (Wikipedia)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – Qi’ra (Wikipedia)
• Last Christmas (2019) – Kate (Wikipedia)
• Secret Invasion (2023) – G’iah, Marvel Cinematic Universe (Wikipedia)

The implication: Clarke’s fame rests on a single iconic character, but her filmography proves she can hold her own across multiple genres.

What are the best Emilia Clarke movies and TV shows?

Emilia Clarke’s filmography

• Me Before You (2016) – her highest-grossing film at $208M worldwide (Wikipedia)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – $393M box office (Wikipedia)
• Terminator Genisys (2015) – $440M gross (Wikipedia)
• Last Christmas (2019) – $121M gross (Wikipedia)

Top Emilia Clarke movies on Netflix

• Me Before You is available on Netflix in many regions (Rotten Tomatoes)
• No original Netflix series or films starring Clarke as lead have been announced (Rotten Tomatoes)

Emilia Clarke TV series appearances

• Game of Thrones (2011-2019) (TV Guide)
• Secret Invasion (2023) (Wikipedia)
• Voice roles in Futurama and Robot Chicken (TV Guide)

The pattern: For streaming viewers, Me Before You is the most accessible Clarke film on Netflix; her other major titles are on HBO and Disney+.

Who turned down the role of Daenerys?

Actresses who auditioned and declined

• The role was reportedly offered to Tamzin Merchant, who turned it down (Wikipedia)
• Other actresses auditioned, but Clarke ultimately got the part (Rotten Tomatoes)

The casting of Daenerys Targaryen could have looked very different. Tamzin Merchant, known for The Tudors, was initially considered but passed. Clarke’s audition won over the showrunners.

Why the role went to Emilia Clarke

• Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss praised her screen test (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Clarke’s portrayal of strength and vulnerability matched the character (TV Guide)

The catch: Had Merchant accepted, Clarke’s career might have taken a very different path — her entire fame rests on that casting decision.

Who is the highest paid actor in Game of Thrones?

Game of Thrones cast salaries

• Main cast earned around $500,000 per episode in later seasons (Wikipedia)
• Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage all in that bracket (TV Guide)

Emilia Clarke’s earnings

• Exact figures not publicly disclosed, but she was among the highest paid (Wikipedia)
• Her net worth estimated at $25-30 million (multiple sources) (Rotten Tomatoes)

The implication: The salary parity among top cast members reflects the ensemble nature of the show; no single actor eclipsed the others, but Clarke’s bargaining power grew with her fame.

What is Emilia Clarke diagnosed with?

Emilia Clarke’s aneurysms

• Suffered subarachnoid hemorrhage (aneurysm) in 2011 and again in 2013 (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Underwent emergency surgeries and rehabilitation (Wikipedia)
• Went public in 2014 via a New Yorker essay (Rotten Tomatoes)

Recovery and advocacy

• Co-founded charity SameYou in 2019 to support brain injury survivors (Wikipedia)
• Advocates for stroke awareness (TV Guide)

The pattern: Clarke’s health battles were hidden during her rise to fame, but her public disclosure turned her into an advocate — a side role as impactful as any on screen.

Timeline: Emilia Clarke’s career and health milestones

Eight events, one pattern: health crises and career highs intertwined.

What we know and what remains unclear

Clarke shared her health story in a New Yorker essay, detailing the two aneurysm episodes and her recovery.

Emilia Clarke, interview with The New Yorker

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss praised Clarke’s audition, saying she brought a unique strength to the role.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, in interviews

For Emilia Clarke, the journey from stage to screen has been marked by extraordinary highs and private battles. Her Daenerys Targaryen remains a cultural phenomenon, but her real legacy may be her survival and advocacy. The implication for stroke survivors is that recovery does not mean the end of a thriving career; the choice is to hide or to advocate, and she chose the latter.

Frequently asked questions