‘Game of Thrones’: Emilia Clarke Defends Baring It All for Scenes

Emilia Clarke claims there wouldn’t be “one part of [Game of Thrones] that I would go back and redo” as her time on the show comes to a close with the final season of the HBO TV epic.

This includes the moments where Clarke had to strip down and bare all for the series. Much has been made of Clarke’s nude scenes throughout Game of Thrones, both for the behind-the-scenes rumors connected to them and their importance in the series. For a show that has become known for its violence and nudity, Clarke is likely the biggest member of the cast to strip down.

“People ask me the nudity question all the time,” Clarke admits in the interview with The Sun. “But the short answer is no, I would never change anything. You had to see those sex scenes, as they couldn’t just be explained.”

Daenerys Targaryen was likely featured in more nude scenes across the show’s run than any of the other actresses, with the publication singling out the character’s appearances in season one. The actress noted that she got “a lot of crap” for doing nude scenes and a lot of negative attention online, with many of her scenes appearing repeatedly on adult video sites.

“Women hating on other women is just the problem. That’s upsetting,” Clarke tells The Sun defending the show and comparing it to shows like The Handmaid’s Tale. “That is all sex and nudity. There are so many shows centered around this very true fact that people reproduce. People f— for pleasure — it’s part of life.”

Clarke reportedly used to feel different about the nudity in the show, introducing an alleged “no nudity” clause into her contract after season three of Game of Thrones. This changed and her thoughts about nude scenes seemed to change near season six of the series thanks to the scene where she emerges from the flaming hut naked.

“It was just a wonderful, strong moment I wanted to own, a real empowering, girl-power wow scene,” Clarke said back in 2016. “I was so thrilled with it. It’s not a sexy scene, she’s not naked for no reason, it’s not gratuitous. She’s naked because she’s just destroyed her enemies in this almighty blaze after they underestimated her — how could I say no?”

The actress supported this statement in an Instagram post at the time, noting that nude scenes that move a story forward or that are “shot in a way that adds insight into the characters,” she’s golden with it.

Clarke has opened up about her time on the show in a rare way in recent weeks. Her nude scenes are a small item compared to her admission that a pair of aneurysms put her life at risk after season one.

“Somehow, almost crawling, I made it to the locker room. I reached the toilet, sank to my knees, and proceeded to be violently, voluminously ill. Meanwhile, the pain—shooting, stabbing, constricting pain — was getting worse. At some level, I knew what was happening: my brain was damaged,” Clarke revealed in her emotional piece in The New Yorker.

The actress revealed she had to undergo a number of surgeries, but finally got to the point where her “chances of recovery were high.” Clarke also wasn’t the only part of the Game of Thrones camp to face issues that threatened their spot on the show. Kit Harington also revealed his own mental health issues stemming from the fame he received from the show.

All of it opened the door for some of the most memorable and important pop culture moments in modern TV history thanks to her character — likely setting up for a tremendous finale too.

Game of Thrones season 8 premieres on HBO Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET.