Emma D’Arcy recalls the advice they received from Game of Thrones actor Emilia Clarke before acting in House of the Dragon. Both Clarke and D’Arcy play members of the House Targaryen in their respective Game of Thrones series, though their storylines take place nearly 200 years apart. D’Arcy is known for playing Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, a part for which they have received numerous accolades. Clarke, on the other hand, played Daenerys Targaryen in all eight seasons of the critically acclaimed series Game of Thrones.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, D’Arcy discussed their important pre-House of the Dragon meeting with Clarke, revealing that Clarke was “incredibly frank” about her experience on Game of Thrones. While Clarke offered the House of the Dragon actor broader advice about getting into character, she also focused on “practical stuff,” such as decorating a trailer space and the downsides of wearing a wig daily. Check out the full quote from D’Arcy below:
“Yeah, I did break bread with Emilia. She was so generous. It was beautiful actually, it was such a nice evening. She was incredibly frank, she was super candid. And her advice was amazing, because it was both sort of broad, sort of embracing wisdom about like the sort of psychic change that one’s about to undergo. But also like practical stuff like, I really remember her saying like ‘your trailer is your space, decorate it, use it.’ You know, just like tiny things. We talked about the practicalities of wearing a wig every day, what it does to your scalp, the issues you’re going to have, it was like really good. The real stuff. I mean, I feel fortunate because I think we experience a fraction of the baptism of fire, without trying to make some sort of Targaryen pun, that Emilia went through, but even so, I suppose it’s like this show has like a, you enter something with a history that proceeds you.”
What This Emilia Clarke Meeting Means For House Of The Dragon
House Of The Dragon & Game Of Thrones Were Very Different Experiences
D’Arcy alludes to this subtly towards the end of her quote, but the Game of Thrones show Clarke began working on in 2011 was very different from the prequel spinoff a decade later. One of the biggest differences was how scenes involving intimacy were treated. Daenerys has several topless scenes in Game of Thrones season 1, something that would likely not happen as much now with the presence of intimacy coordinators. The House of the Dragon team was aware of the discomfort this created for Clarke and corrected this for the spinoff.
Even with the progress the TV industry has made since the commencement of Game of Thrones, there were still challenges that both D’Arcy and Clarke had to deal with, making the Game of Thrones actor’s advice still valuable. Hearing D’Arcy talk about wigs is one of the more intriguing practical elements. Members of the House Targaryen are known for their striking white hair, forcing both D’Arcy and Clarke to wear wigs for long filming periods. This is particularly the case for Clarke, who is naturally a brunette.
Therefore, this communication could have helped set the basis for Rhaenyra’s characterization.
This meeting between D’Arcy and Clarke is exciting due to how their characters are connected. Daenerys is a descendant of Rhaenyra for a few great generations. While both characters are different, many viewers have also noted the similarities, particularly in their campaigns to be rightful queens in Westeros. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if Daenerys’ fierce traits became influential in developing Rhaenyra to showcase this link. This is particularly important as House of the Dragon references the same prophecies that would impact Game of Thrones. Therefore, this communication could have helped set the basis for Rhaenyra’s characterization.
Our Take On Emilia Clarke’s Advice To Emma D’Arcy
It Is Good To See House Of The Dragon & Game Of Thrones Actors Connect
Whatever Clarke told D’Arcy about the “psychic change” involved in acting in House of the Dragon worked, because D’Arcy is fantastic in the role. They fully transform into Rhaenyra through all the character’s emotions and intensity. It is no wonder that D’Arcy has recently been nominated for a Golden Globe for their work in House of the Dragon season 2. It is cool to see Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon actors having these work relationships, as it will likely continue to better the performances of actors.
