I felt I had cheated death - Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke Emilia Clarke opens up on surviving two brain hemorrhages
Emilia Clarke has spoken openly about the lasting emotional impact of surviving two brain hemorrhages during her time on the set of Game of Thrones, saying the experience left her convinced at one point that she had “cheated death.”
In a conversation on the podcast How To Fail with Elizabeth Day, the actress, now 39, described how the aftermath of her medical emergencies deeply affected her mindset, especially after her second health scare.
She admitted there was a period where she constantly believed she was “meant to die,” saying the thought stayed with her every single day.
Clarke first suffered a brain hemorrhage shortly after completing filming on the show’s initial season.
At the time, she had been adjusting to sudden fame and a demanding new career path when she collapsed during a workout session at a London gym.
She described the onset of pain in stark terms, comparing it to “an elastic band snapping” inside her head, followed by intense pressure that quickly became unbearable. In distress, she managed to crawl to a bathroom before vomiting and realizing the seriousness of what was happening.
During that moment, she recalled repeatedly telling herself she was “an actor” and trying to hold on to her newly secured role, which she had worked hard to achieve.
Medical staff initially struggled to diagnose the condition, with early assumptions pointing elsewhere due to her age.
She was later transferred for a brain scan after a nurse raised concerns, which helped clarify the severity of her condition.
While recovering, Clarke said she was focused not only on her health but also on reassuring executives at HBO that she would be well enough to return to work. She admitted she felt deep shame about her condition, worried she might be seen as fragile or replaceable.
“I was so ashamed,” she explained, adding that she only shared the news with showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, choosing to keep most of her experience private at the time.
Clarke later experienced a second aneurysm while living in New York and performing on Broadway.
Doctors had been monitoring a previously detected aneurysm through regular scans following her first emergency.
She recalled undergoing surgery that did not go as planned, which led to an urgent follow-up procedure.
During that period, she said her parents were by her side while doctors repeatedly warned them about the severity of her condition.
After the second incident, Clarke said her emotional response changed significantly. Unlike the first time, she described shutting down emotionally and feeling disconnected from herself and her surroundings.
Comments
Post a Comment