[BOOK SPOILERS] Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) fan-thread

[Arya The Assassin]

Although she's not my favourite character in the show, she seems to be quite popular, so I decided to create a 'fan'-thread for her, where people can share opinions about her performance, her take on Daenerys, interviews, relevant links, and other behind-the-scenes stuff.

General links:

Emilia Clarke - IMDb

Emilia Clarke - Wikipedia

Unofficial fansites:

http://emiliaclarke.com/

(AFAIK, she doesn't have an official site yet)

Social networking sites:

She doesn't appear to have any verified Twitter or Facebook-accounts. There have been several false accounts though, and some person actually pretended to be her on Reddit. The official GOT Twitter said, in response to Wicnet (Winter-is-Coming.net):

@wicnet I have asked to be alerted if she ever wants to use social media. In that event, we will make it known loud and clear.

Interviews:

Game of Thrones is good news for Brit stars

EDIT: Fixed link

[ptyx]

Somehow your link redirects to Maisie Williams' site i/o Emilia's one... :D

[Arya The Assassin]

Somehow your link redirects to Maisie Williams' site i/o Emilia's one... :D

Oops, thanks. The link has now been corrected :)

[Analu]

She's beautiful and has done a terrific job. I think her scenes with Drogo are the most accurate to the book and have a real authentic feel to them. I truly get the sense that her and Drogo are in love, despite their differences in upbringing, culture, pretty much everything. Even my non-ASOIAF-reading family (who I watch it with) have noted their chemistry.

And I think I bashed the Drogo actor before the series started and we just had stills to go by. He looked ridiculous to me, with his eyeliner and mascara. I'll eat my words now. He's possibly my favorite character in the show (aside from Arya), and has had the best scene in each of the last two episodes, IMO. This guy IS Drogo.

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

Daenerys rocks! Thanks for making a fanthread. In contrast to Analu I'm particularly drawn to her scenes with Jorah (and Viserys to a lesser extent). But Clarke has great chemistry with all the men around her, which is pretty important, since they are the only relationships she really ever has.

To be honest, though, I wasn't sold on the adaptation of her storyline until episode 6. But the last 3 episodes have blown me away, and I expect the next two will quadruple that. I feel like I am coming to grudgingly respect, and then eventually love Daenerys. I guess, though, that's how the books were too - a slow, slow burn, simmer, rolling boil, then WHAM!

[Ser Warpechowski]

She is hot.

And she also does an awesome job. She changed a lot also. Probabily the character with the most development.

[Salome the Persian Witch]

She is fantastic. Her eyes are exceptional, her expressions fantastic, and I am totally caught up in her character development. I can't wait until the dragon awakens!

[NW Deserter]

I've loved Clarke's portrayal from the beginning, though she was below the likes of NCW, Dinklage, Bean, Maisie, Addy, and even Headey for a while. But what's been so astounding about TV-Dany is that her transformation from scared little girl to powerful Khaleesi is so authentic and believable, even moreso than in the books. I've seen several non-readers, including that OtakeASSEMBLE guy, really rooting for her character now, which I personally never really did in the books (at least in book 1) but I am now. Not that it means much since I know what's going to happen, but still. :P

It also helps that the big supporting characters around her are all portrayed to perfection - Jorah, Drogo, Viserys, even Rakharo and her handmaidens. Looks like Mirri Maz Durr is starting off on a good note too, as far as the casting goes. Really glad to see all of this good acting because I really struggled to care about the Dothraki at all on my first Thrones read.

[Dedsquirrl]

She's beautiful and has done a terrific job. I think her scenes with Drogo are the most accurate to the book and have a real authentic feel to them. I truly get the sense that her and Drogo are in love, despite their differences in upbringing, culture, pretty much everything. Even my non-ASOIAF-reading family (who I watch it with) have noted their chemistry.

And I think I bashed the Drogo actor before the series started and we just had stills to go by. He looked ridiculous to me, with his eyeliner and mascara. I'll eat my words now. He's possibly my favorite character in the show (aside from Arya), and has had the best scene in each of the last two episodes, IMO. This guy IS Drogo.

Her interaction with Drogo has been awesome.

I wasn't sure what to expect with the show.

Early Dany chapters were all so boring to me during my reads.

The pics of Drogo looked like a Mongol transvestite.

But the Drogo actor has been awesome. I mean, the guy did a Kung Fu Colombian Necktie.

And I bet the reporters ask Clarke if she is really dating the actor, their chemistry is so good.

Sookie is really married to Bill and their chemistry isn't as good as Clarke and Momoa.

[SerArthurHeath]

I was not impressed at first, but now I am, and I think the initial awkwardness was deliberate and thus an excellent piece of acting. Plus she is really quite hot.

[Arya The Assassin]

I wasn't too excited about her performance at first (although I wouldn't say that her acting was bad, far from it), but I think she's improved in the second half of the season. She's one of the characters in the show who's become more interesting as well, I think (just like in the books). Her character has grown from being a naive, frightened girl to a more confident and strong leader.

When I read the book for the first time many years ago, I felt that her character was the most interesting in terms of character development. I don't quite feel the same way today, but I still think Dany is one of the better developed characters in the book, so there's a lot of 'growth' potential here for Emilia.

I posted some of Maisie's STARmeter (*) rankings in the Maisie Williams-thread, so I'm doing the same thing for Emilia here:

STARmeter highlights for Emilia Clarke:

(Date, Rank, Note)

2011 Jun 5 | 15 | Current rank

2011 Apr 24 | 1 | Episode 2 airs

2011 Apr 17 | 594 | Episode 1 airs

2011 Mar 27 | 2,133 | HBO GOT character profile of Dany

2010 Nov 28 | 2,713 | Emilia's first TV movie, Triassic Attack, is released

2010 Jul 25 | 3,742 | Cast announced

2009 Sep 6 | 1,012,434 | First entry

(*) STARmeter is calculated as follows (IMDb):

STARmeter rankings provide a snapshot of who's popular based on the searches of millions of IMDb users. Updated weekly, these rankings also graph the popularity of people over time and determine which events affect public awareness.

[smegma]

I've wondered why they keep her pregnancy belly so small. I know not all pregnant women show a lot (I was fairly small), but there seems to be almost nothing there!

I think it's possible one of two things -

1. They didn't know how to deal with the passage of time in her story versus the Westeros ones and didn't want the belly to be a sort of visual time line, since the viewers would take that as a cue how much time had passed, and D & D weren't sure that it'd jive completely with the events to the west.

2. Since the baby will not live, maybe HBO decided to downplay the impending pregnancy? I dunno, they seem to not shy away from a lot of things, but maybe they think that the death of an unborn child will already be harsh enough, best to not make it as graphic as possible? Might know more about this in the next two episodes as we see how the whole scenario plays out and how far HBO takes it.

Or is there just another reason altogether?

On the whole, I really enjoy her performance - although I actually think episode 8 was her weakest. I might change my mind when I rewatch it (again!) but in my first couple of viewings I thought her delivery was more wooden than before - both when she's ordering the Dothraki to spare the women and when she shows concern over Drogo. Just my impression, which might change.

Wonder if the rumors are her and Richard Madden are true!

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

I've wondered why they keep her pregnancy belly so small. I know not all pregnant women show a lot (I was fairly small), but there seems to be almost nothing there!

...

Or is there just another reason altogether?

She's showing a liiitle bit in ep 8, which is the first episode where she's wearing something that actually covers her body. So, I think it's a costuming issue. All the dothraki clothes are really skimpy. Check out the preview for 9, her belly is definitely much more noticeable.

Anyway, a lot of ladies don't show much until the last trimester. I think the timeline of ~1-2 months per epi makes sense, so a big change between 2 eps in the amount preggers she looks isn't out of the question.

On the whole, I really enjoy her performance - although I actually think episode 8 was her weakest. I might change my mind when I rewatch it (again!) but in my first couple of viewings I thought her delivery was more wooden than before - both when she's ordering the Dothraki to spare the women and when she shows concern over Drogo. Just my impression, which might change.

One moment I thought went well this episode was "I do not have a gentle heart ser..." Other than that I agree, her performance was stronger in the last 2 episodes. Whenever she pulls out khaleesi face I am thoroughly convinced. :stunned:

Wonder if the rumors are her and Richard Madden are true!

I hope so, they are both bombshells (Clarke is about 10x hotter with her natural coloring I must admit). :)

[smegma]

She's showing a liiitle bit in ep 8, which is the first episode where she's wearing something that actually covers her body. So, I think it's a costuming issue. All the dothraki clothes are really skimpy. Check out the preview for 9, her belly is definitely much more noticeable.

Anyway, a lot of ladies don't show much until the last trimester. I think the timeline of ~1-2 months per epi makes sense, so a big change between 2 eps in the amount preggers she looks isn't out of the question.

One moment I thought went well this episode was "I do not have a gentle heart ser..." Other than that I agree, her performance was stronger in the last 2 episodes. Whenever she pulls out khaleesi face I am thoroughly convinced. :stunned:

I hope so, they are both bombshells (Clarke is about 10x hotter with her natural coloring I must admit). :)

Yeah see, the thing is that I know some women don't show much for a while - like I said, I could wear a pair of guy jeans and a t shirt and hide it for a long, long time. But the thing is, when TELEVISION shows pregnant women it's always noticeable to aid the visual. They don't go "oh well she's petite so we can get away with not showing it." They always provide the belly. Except in this case. :dunno:

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

Yeah see, the thing is that I know some women don't show much for a while - like I said, I could wear a pair of guy jeans and a t shirt and hide it for a long, long time. But the thing is, when TELEVISION shows pregnant women it's always noticeable to aid the visual. They don't go "oh well she's petite so we can get away with not showing it." They always provide the belly. Except in this case. :dunno:

Oh I see.

Well I think it's probably the costuming issue then. Perhaps they made all these skimpy dothraki outfits only to realize most of them wouldn't work very well for hiding a fake pregnancy belly. Or, they made a conscious choice to put off when she would show in order to be able to use the particular costuming style they went with.

I was reading some Dany chapters from aSoS last night and now Dany is officially Emelia Clarke in my brain. Some characters it doesn't work for, but for her, no problem. :)

[spitsphyre]

And I bet the reporters ask Clarke if she is really dating the actor, their chemistry is so good.

Sookie is really married to Bill and their chemistry isn't as good as Clarke and Momoa.

Momoa is American and married to someone here in the states.

I'm personally jealous if she IS with Richard Madden. They're both so freaking talented! (and then it would be really all awkward if Dany does end up with Jon like some people purpose :P)

[spitsphyre]

Or is there just another reason altogether?

I don't think it had to do with costuming, I think it has to do with the fact that they want to keep her looking "hot." (Which is silly because I know guys who go gaga over pregnant women but whatever. Someone convinced me that she won't be losing all her hair next season either for the same reason. They're trying to see the "super sexy Dany" thing going for as long as possible)

They also have done minimal work on SFX make up in this show for some reason.

One good thing about them not giving her a pregnant tummy? I won't throw a fit when she's suddenly flat a minute after her miscarriage :P

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

I don't think it had to do with costuming, I think it has to do with the fact that they want to keep her looking "hot." (Which is silly because I know guys who go gaga over pregnant women but whatever. Someone convinced me that she won't be losing all her hair next season either for the same reason. They're trying to see the "super sexy Dany" thing going for as long as possible)

I don't really buy this. I don't think the casting of Clarke had much to do with her being some kind of sex-kitten type, because she really isn't (do you remember some of the people the fanboys were suggesting? They were like Playboy models wtf). Nah, they are playing up the innocent -> badass transformation much more than the "woah look at the hottie" aspect. Do people here actually find her extremely hot? Maybe my ovaries are impairing my ability to judge. :P

[BigFatCoward]

Do people here actually find her extremely hot? Maybe my ovaries are impairing my ability to judge. :P

very, and she has a proper shape and everything, she actually has an ass unlike most tv types. there is nothing less sexy than a lollypop head.

[spitsphyre]

I don't really buy this. I don't think the casting of Clarke had much to do with her being some kind of sex-kitten type, because she really isn't (do you remember some of the people the fanboys were suggesting? They were like Playboy models wtf). Nah, they are playing up the innocent -> badass transformation much more than the "woah look at the hottie" aspect. Do people here actually find her extremely hot? Maybe my ovaries are impairing my ability to judge. :P

I don't think she's a sex-kitten but I do think HBO is playing up sex sex SEX!!!!!! (Did you hear us say SEX loud enough?!) where ever they can, as often as they can. They didn't make her naked so often in the first few episodes to show us how delicate she was (or if that was their intention they need a new DP stat :rolleyes:) they did it to make sure that the steaminess and naughtiness of the show was made clear.

I think she's gorgeous and that tan has made the wig actually work on her. I think she would be gorgeous even if they didn't go out of their way to play up the hot sexiness but they have, will and are going to. (I wish they didn't and fwiw, I like girls with shaved heads so...)