Emilia Clarke Says She Had No Control Over Daenerys’ Character or Fate on Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke has revealed in an interview with Variety that she had no creative input on her Game of Thrones role as Daenerys Targaryen, including control over the character’s storyline, dialogue, or eventual fate in the series’ polarizing finale.
Clarke stated that she never sought creative involvement, believing herself unqualified to do so. However, she emphasized that showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss maintained extremely strict production standards, requiring actors to adhere precisely to written scripts. The level of precision was rigorous—retakes were mandatory even for minor deviations, such as saying “it’s” instead of “it is.”
The actress acknowledged that while her own acting skills and interpretation informed her performance, the broader creative direction came entirely from the showrunners. The interview underscores the hierarchical nature of television production, where creative control typically remains with writers and showrunners while actors execute their vision. Clarke’s comments raise broader questions about actor agency in collaborative creative processes, particularly regarding controversial character arcs that contributed to the show’s divisive reception.