Why Emilia Clarke Felt 'Ashamed' To Share Brain Hemorrhage Diagnosis During Game Of Thrones

Emilia

Clarke went through a difficult phase in her 20s. The Game of Thrones actress suffered not one but two brain hemorrhages in her young age. At a recently held event, Emilia delivered an emotional speech as she spoke about moving forward after her health crisis. The Hollywood actress revealed that she was just 22 when she suffered her first brain hemorrhage. At that time, she filmed the first season of her show GoT. Two years later, when Emilia was 24, she suffered another hemorrhage. This was when the actress made her Broadway debut. She went on to share the reason she felt 'ashamed' to talk about her diagnosis.

Emilia Clarke on suffering two brain hemorrhages

At Variety's Power of Women event, Games of Thrones actress Emilia said, "In 2011, I didn’t want anyone to know about my brain bleeds. I was ashamed and overwhelmed by a diagnosis I didn’t understand." The actress added that HBO wasn't informed about it until she knew she wasn't going to die. In TV terms, it is usually when the makers kill one's character anyway.

It was only after her second hemorrhage, the actress felt talking about it publicly might help. However, it took some years for the actress to grapple with the truth. Fifteen years after her brain first bled, the actress finally reflected on how difficult that time was. She mentioned about never getting a chance to delve upon on what two brain injuries had done to her. Even before she could walk, talk and be herself, the actress was out there facing camera within weeks of two brain traumas. Emilia further recalled getting an overwhelming response when she spoke about her diagnosis in 2019. The actress also opened up about her belated recovery journey. "Through the guidance and help of the extraordinary David Putrino at Mount Sinai in New York, I now have the energy and positivity I had in my twenties. This was a journey, not a miracle cure," she added. On a concluding note, the actress stated that one in three people will suffer a brain injury, but they deserve a way forward.

Emilia Clarke's work front

On the work front, Emilia was last seen in Susanna Fogel and David Iserson's show Ponies. She played the role of Bea Grant in the show, which premiered on January 15, on Peacock. The spy thriller series also starred Haley Lu Richardson.