Game Of Thrones: When ‘Khaleesi’ Emilia Clarke Nearly Left The HBO Show Due To A Medical Crisis: “I Looked As Though I Had Been Through A War More Gruesome…”

Clarke’s off-camera battle was even more intense. Behind the scenes, Clarke faced a hidden crisis that nearly sidelined her career and kept her in a shadowy corner of the spotlight.

Just as the first season wrapped, the actress was struck by a severe aneurysm. In an interview with The New Yorker, Clarke pulled back the curtain on her struggles. She revealed the personal turmoil that ran parallel to her character’s journey.

It all began with a high-stakes surgery in 2011. It continued with another even more daunting procedure years later. Clarke’s recount of the second operation is raw: “I looked as though I had been through a war more gruesome than any that Daenerys experienced. I emerged from the operation with a drain coming out of my head. Bits of my skull had been replaced by titanium.” The scar might be hidden now. But at the time, it was a glaring reminder of her battle.

Aphasia, a condition that made her forget her own name, added another layer of misery. “I could see my life ahead, and it wasn’t worth living. I am an actor; I need to remember my lines.” The uncertainty surrounding her cognitive recovery before the second surgery was daunting. Clarke quips, “Now I tell people that what it robbed me of is good taste in men. But, of course, none of this seemed remotely funny at the time.”

What truly helped Clarke push through was not just her iron will but also top-notch aftercare—a service not widely accessible. Her new charity, SameYou, focuses on improving neurorehabilitation support. “The degree to which people can adapt and face the future after neurological trauma is dependent on the quality and provision of rehabilitation care,” Clarke shared. Partnering with organizations like the Royal College of Nursing and the Stroke Association, SameYou’s set to shake up the field of brain injury recovery.

In her classic, down-to-earth fashion, Clarke took to IG Stories to share her dual triumphs: launching her charity and mastering IG’s swipe-up feature. “So, today is a doubly important day. Number one, I launched a charity, which is… sizeable. Number two, I learned how to use Instagram stories, possibly the more important one… There’s this thing where you swipe up—ahhh!—and that takes you straight to the charity webpage.” She also posted on her feed: “I kept quiet about something that’s happened to me for quite a few years… And I really sincerely would love to hear what you think. I’d love to hear your stories. Because that’s why I started this.”

With SameYou gaining momentum—37K IG followers in less than a day and active donations—Clarke’s resilience made waves. Just as Daenerys rose from her trials to become a formidable leader, Clarke’s turned her personal struggles into a beacon of hope and change. Her journey, both on and off-screen, proves she’s not just a star but a true force for good.

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