Emilia Clarke's range

[trgryn-strk-lnstr-mrtell]

i just posted a bit about this on another thread...i was disappointed with Emilia's performance this ep...seemed like her heart wasnt in it...only one moment when she looks at Jorah before he admits it could be possible to take kings landing was good...rest? all her lines delivery seemed weak...i mean such a huuuuge decision to give up on Westeros and focus on slavers bay...bah! :ack:

[Tyrion Lannister]

Whilst not defending her acting at all, I take issue with this statement. Emilia Clark is one of the few actresses to stand up to D&D about the ridiculous and gratuitous use of female nudity on this show. She's refused to appear in breast baring scenes. I can't remember when this decision came into force, but it was clearly after season 1.

She was topless last season, so unless this is something that happened within the last year, I'm not sure where you're getting that from. And her being willing to do those kinds of scenes when the script calls for it certainly isn't something she should be criticized for anyway.

[Zman1863]

She definitely came across as unnaturally wooden in this episode, especially given that this scene was a closed door meeting with her advisers and then Jorah alone. It was like watching a female George Washington or Darth Vader. It's partially Clarke's performance, but a lot can be blamed on the writing and direction.

I think the show has never fully captured the sort of youthful vulnerability that Dany has in the books. They have shown vulnerability, but it manifests in ways that are out of character for the book counterpart- the WHERE ARE MY DROGONZ subplot is the prime example. In the books Dany is a privately insecure person who makes things up as she goes. In the show she looks a lot more confident in her own identity and this takes away from the internal struggle that dominates her ADWD arc particularly.

[Hodor's Dragon]

You know, I agree that Clarke was a bit over-the-top in the "I will rule" scene, but over-the-top and stiff are two different things. Stiff I didn't see. She was channeling Cate Blanchett - "I am my father's daughter" - but didn't quite get it, I don't think.

Generally, though, I think she's a very talented actress who is still growing in her craft and does some things better than others. She was hired because she was able to play the scared young girl the show began with and also transition into the conquering dragon queen. As D.B. Weiss put it:

It’s a role that demands a huge range of emotion. She starts out as a helpless little girl and she ends the first season in a very strong place. For the scared part, there were a number of people who could do the beginning stuff very well, but finding somebody who could switch into the gravitas that was necessary for the end of the season …”

IMO she was on the money as "helpless little girl," and as for "dragon queen," any discussion of her acting abilities has to take into account the way she bloody nailed easily the best scene in the show's 4 years. That scene was well done for any actress to handle, but she frickin' destroyed it.

"Helpless little girl" and "dragon queen" are her strengths, and sometimes she struggles in between. But she has stage presence, intelligence, and an expressive face. She's an excellent choice for the role, and is struggling slightly as her plot drags through the mid-story lull. I have a feeling she will have more excellent material at the end.

But anybody who can take your best material and make it sing is a force to be reckoned with. If you don't like Emilia Clarke as Daenerys, then you're just gonna have to deal with it.

[boojam]

So basically, Dany is a low-functioning sociopath and Emilia Clarke is a brilliant actress?

If Emilia is playing a bad actress then she's doing a hell of a job, because every scene she's in in absolutely horrible. I would need some sort of justification before accepting the idea that Dany never let's her guard down and is always "playing" whatever emotions she is "exhibiting". It's one thing when she's trying to appear strong for her people or to an enemy, but it makes little sense for her to do it behind closed doors.

I thought she did an outstanding job in Breaker of Chains when she gave the Valyrian oration to the Meereenize.

Could find not fault with that.

[Travy1991]

I've generally really enjoyed Emilia's portrayal of Dany but I agree that she came across unnaturally wooden in this week's episode. But in every other episode, I don't see what a large majority of the audience is seeing. Ranking her within the cast, she would be fairly low but I do put that down to youth. Kit Harrington and Richard Madden have had similar times when they've come across rather wooden. Kit gets enough flak on this site but in the Red Wedding scene, Madden had very little expression on his face when he was looking at Talisa's body. Michelle Fairley acted circles around him in that scene. Hell, the 5 seconds of shock on Oona Chaplin's face when she was stabbed in the belly outacted Madden. But ultimately, I find it forgivable. Not everyone is expressive and radiating gravitas all the time. Some peoples' faces may say one thing and their inner-conscious another. Madden, Harrington and Clarke, in my opinion, are solid for the most part and have each pulled off some really strong performances from time to time while they've had underwhelming moments too. They don't have the gravitas and experience of Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Michelle Fairley and Charles Dance. Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams are two naturally very gifted actors whereas Madden, Harrington and Clarke have to work at it a little more. Isaac Hempstead-Wright is similar to these guys, he's never been spectacular, but I can't recall any outwardly bad deliveries either.

Sibel Kekilli is probably the poorest actress on the show but I feel the need to defend her too. I've seen some of her German films and she's very good in them. I think she lacks fluency in English and so some of her line readings are a poor because of this. It doesn't help that the writers have made Shae so unlikeable and petulant - essentially a caricature of a jealous girlfriend. If you go back in Season 1, Kekilli radiates a sort of sexy mysteriousness even though a more understated petulance is there too. And I believe it was Kekilli who said "no" to further nude scenes as Emilia got naked at the end of Season 3.

Kit and Emilia are probably the two biggest book fans in the cast so it's interesting that they underwhelm so many fans. Watching interviews with Emilia, she always comes across so smiley and dorky. It's a pity they won't allow Emilia's natural personality to sink into Dany's character a little more.

[Batman]

I think Emilia should always speak in either Dothraki or High Valyrian, for some reason she's a lot better when using fake languages than english XD

The Mel Gibson technique?

[cade]

I think Emilia Clarke has been outstanding, showing exceptional range in how much her character has changed, but unlike so many others I don't present myself as an acting expert here to deliver objective truth. I recognize it's a highly subjective matter. Even her work in 3x04, one of the most acclaimed performances of the entire series, has been criticized by some and I never say they're wrong. As with so many things discussed on this forum, it comes down to personal preference, not a black and white contest over right and wrong.

What is provably wrong, though, is to say Emilia Clake's "delivery is the same no matter what words she's speaking." Even in the very scene that's been so heavily criticized here, she very clearly changed her delivery when saying, "How can I rule the Seven Kingdoms if I can't control Slavers' Bay? Why should anyone trust me? Why should anyone follow me?"

You can say she didn't pull it off, but her facial expression and tone of voice are objectively different in that moment, and it's being completely ignored. I think she expressed Dany's doubt and fear of inadequacy very well, and I like how she transitioned from that to her realization that she needs to be better, though as usual I wish the writers had given her more to work with. It often feels to me like they're trying to rush through her scenes so they can get back to the politicking in King's Landing.

Here is director Michelle MacLaren on the scene:

We got a brief but very powerful scene with Dany. What was the key to getting that right?

"It was really important to see that moment where she realizes that she needs to become a queen in the true sense of ruling her people. She needs to rule by example. Right before she says "I going to do what queens do. I'm going to rule," there's a calm confidence that comes over her. In that moment, I really think she steps up to a whole new level of being a queen. It was really important to feel that she's a ruler. It's pretty impressive. She's very determined in that moment and very queenly."

And Alex Graves on episode three:

The Daenerys stuff was pretty crazy too. It calls back to the scene with the Unsullied you directed last year.

That was when I was done prepping the Purple Wedding. I went home, and instead of sleeping I had to plan that. I always called Meereen my 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. part-time job. If you get into the marrow of that daily storyline it is always, always Emilia (Clarke). She is the most motivating, stimulating young actor of many I've worked with. She is utterly old-school professional. She carries around a ripped up, wrecked, ruined version of the book we're shooting, because she is one of the only people who reads the books. And behind all of that, every time you say action, you watch this performance occur that is Nirvana.

What was she like shooting the episode's big Daenerys finale?

You're in a rock quarry with like 500 smelly guys, and the crew is exhausted, and everybody is on edge, and Emilia comes on set and all of a sudden the whole crew is like (in a sing-songy voice): "Emilia! Good morning, Emilia. How are you?" It brings out the best in everybody. It's like Audrey Hepburn has just walked onto the set. And nobody is more gracious than she is on the set. It's just great. She is a good example.

[trgryn-strk-lnstr-mrtell]

I thought the same thing...but High Valyrian only..would be completely fine if she never spoke another word of English [emoji16]

[iknownothingjonsnow]

What is provably wrong, though, is to say Emilia Clake's "delivery is the same no matter what words she's speaking." Even in the very scene that's been so heavily criticized here, she very clearly changed her delivery when saying, "How can I rule the Seven Kingdoms if I can't control Slavers' Bay? Why should anyone trust me? Why should anyone follow me?"

Well, her voice is exactly the same, and her face went from 'expressionless' to 'expressionless with lots of blinking'.

Some proof... :rolleyes:

[cade]

Well, her voice is exactly the same, and her face went from 'expressionless' to 'expressionless with lots of blinking'.

Some proof... :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDGlnvBid98#t=2m35s

[ground_control]

Aiden's Petyr, be it acting decision, writing or direction, is far to blatantly evil. Littlefinger works in the books because he seems trustworthy, people trust him to do things, like run the finances, broker the Tyrell match etc. They underestimate him, and he rarely reveals his hand. But from S2 onwards it seems to me and increasingly moreso, Littlefinger might as well be wearing a flashing neon sign, declaring him to be a self-centred asshole.

No, he's pretty much that way in the books. Only Ned, Cat, and Lysa have trusted him. Other people do underestimate him, but his primary interactions with people are backstabbing in return for social advancement, so I'm not sure why you would think anybody trusts him. And yes, in the books, he's pretty much up front about it.

What the show has done a bit differently is to make it clear that he'll be happy to rule over a kingdom of ashes (the chaos ladder monologue, which I liked, and "I'd risk everything to get everything." But Aiden has (presumably) little to no control about how the character is written.

[WinterisAlwaysComing]

THIS JUST IN!

After conquering Qarth, Astapor, Yunkai, and Mereen, Dany is undone when she meets a paper bag and tries to act her way out of it.

[Ankou]

No, he's pretty much that way in the books. Only Ned, Cat, and Lysa have trusted him. Other people do underestimate him, but his primary interactions with people are backstabbing in return for social advancement, so I'm not sure why you would think anybody trusts him. And yes, in the books, he's pretty much up front about it.

What the show has done a bit differently is to make it clear that he'll be happy to rule over a kingdom of ashes (the chaos ladder monologue, which I liked, and "I'd risk everything to get everything." But Aiden has (presumably) little to no control about how the character is written.

Yeah they seem to want Snidely Whiplash.

[A Man Is A Man]

Sibel Kekilli is probably the poorest actress on the show but I feel the need to defend her too. I've seen some of her German films and she's very good in them.

Ohhhhhh, have you???? ;)

[Nictarion]

THIS JUST IN!

After conquering Qarth, Astapor, Yunkai, and Mereen, Dany is undone when she meets a paper bag and tries to act her way out of it.

She never conquered Qarth.

[NightStark]

The half bored way she speaks is what pisses me off. At least when she's speaking Valyrian she puts a bit of power and emotion into her voice, it's the Common Tongue that gets screwed over.

[WinterisAlwaysComing]

SPOILER:

I hope everyone gets strapped in for more riveting Dany action in A Dance With Meetings. Can't wait for her to meet with all the blue/green graces, suitors, mercenaries, Martells, and slave owners (and almost Tyrion, of course).

[hollowcrown]

hollowcrown

I would like to get your take on this.

Last sequence Season 3 Episode 4, so called Dracarys scene.

I thought Emilia Ace-ed it.

Your take?

Dracarys scene was awesome, because she was acting as a powerful, stoic, badass warrior queen.

However the problem isn't with that, the problem is her acting like that in every single scene even when it doesn't make sense. You don't speak to an army in the same way as you speak to your close friends and that's what lets her down.

[BlackTalon]

I wonder if she intentionally seems a bit wooden? I imagine that might very well be how a insecure young girl acts who has been saddled with the responsibilty for thousands of Unsullied and tens of thousnds of freed slaves and who is desperately trying to seem regal and self assured all the time.