I Still Can’t Believe Another Actress Played Daenerys Before Emilia Clarke In Game Of Thrones

It’s been years since Game of Thrones took its final bow, and I still can’t believe another actress played Daenerys Targaryen before Emilia Clarke took on the role. Daenerys is one of the most important players in Game of Thrones, and she’s a character who evokes strong reactions from viewers — whether they’re counting her among their favorites or condemning her actions from season 1. Clarke’s performance as the Mother of Dragons is partly to blame for this, as she’s iconic in the role. Whether you love or hate Dany, there’s no denying Clarke is a highlight of the series.

But Game of Thrones‘ unaired pilot episode saw another person playing Daenerys Targaryen: Tamzin Merchant. This is one of several ways the original pilot differed from the final version of the first episode — and the series overall. A number of creative decisions were reworked, including what the costumes would look like and how the White Walkers acted (via SlashFilm). And Catelyn Stark was also recast after the original actor, Jennifer Ehle, stepped back from the project. But while it’s hard to imagine the show without Michelle Fairley as Cat, it’s even more difficult to picture it without Clarke’s Daenerys.

Why Game Of Thrones Recast The Original Daenerys Actress

Tamzin Merchant Lacked Enthusiasm Over The Role

Although Merchant was chosen to play Daenerys in the original Game of Thrones pilot, she was recast before reshooting the first episode. Precise reasons for Daenerys’ recast weren’t given by the creators of the show, but it seemed to come down to whether or not Merchant was a good fit. HBO boss Michael Lombardo admitted that the connection between Merchant’s Daenerys and Jason Momoa’s Khal Drogo left something to be desired. However, Bryan Cogman said, “I thought Tamzin did a really good job. It’s hard to say why things didn’t work out” (via SlashFilm).

Merchant remained silent about the recast for a long time, but she opened up about it during a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly — one that shed light on why her iteration of Daenerys might have felt off. The actress admitted that she’d had reservations about the Game of Thrones role, which she’d needed some convincing to accept. And as Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series describes, Merchant and Momoa had to deal with an awkward incident involving a horse getting an erection while filming:

“Shooting that pilot was a really great lesson. It was an affirmation about listening to my instincts and following them, because I tried to back out of that situation and, during the contract process, I did back out. I was talked back into it by some persuasive people. Then I found myself naked and afraid in Morocco and riding a horse that was clearly much more excited to be there than I was.”

With Merchant not feeling passionate about the role — and external circumstances making things uncomfortable from the jump — it’s understandable that she didn’t excel at playing Daenerys. Ultimately, it seemed like the best choice for everyone that the actress didn’t wind up playing the character for Game of Thrones’ eight seasons. And Clarke was clearly a shoo-in for the part, as she went on to define the character from George R.R. Martin’s books.

Emilia Clarke Is Perfect As Daenerys & Defined The Character

The Game Of Thrones Star Is Automatically Associated With Daenerys

Game of Thrones’ first attempt at bringing Daenerys to the small screen didn’t work out, but that ended up being for the best. Merchant’s departure opened the door for Clarke to take on the part, and in hindsight, there was no better actress to play the Mother of Dragons. While many members of the Game of Thrones cast have become synonymous with their characters, that’s especially true of Clarke. She put her heart and soul into the character, and show-only fans and readers alike now associate her with the Mother of Dragons.

Although Daenerys is a distinct personality in Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire books, Clarke helped breathe new life into her. Her version of the character proved even more memorable, helping to flesh out details that didn’t necessarily exist in the source material. Clarke’s iconic performance was made even more impressive by the health issues she had during Game of Thrones season 3. Despite grappling with serious personal issues, Clarke delivered some of her best work, cementing her character as one of the most iconic in Game of Thrones and the fantasy genre overall.

Emilia Clarke Even Nailed Daenerys’ Mad Queen Turn

Season 8 Saw Her Doing Some Of Her Best Work

Perhaps the greatest proof that Clarke was perfect to play Daenerys was the fact that she nailed the character’s Mad Queen turn in season 8. Game of Thrones season 8 was controversial for many reasons, the end of Dany’s character arc among them. Some viewers hated that Daenerys became the very thing she’d fought in previous outings. Others were simply dissatisfied with how quickly her villain turn unfolded. The writing and shortened season certainly didn’t help sell the end of Game of Thrones’ penultimate episode.

However, even without great material to work with, Clarke managed to give one of her best performances in the show’s final season. If Dany’s Mad Queen turn was unconvincing, it had little to do with the actress’ performance. Clarke captured every emotion Daenerys should be feeling in the build-up to the climax of “The Bells.” She also nailed all the complicated emotions that accompanied Daenerys’ losses that season, from the grief of losing her loved ones to her frustrations surrounding Jon Snow and the North.

What Tamzin Merchant Has Done Since Her Game Of Thrones Recasting

Salem & Carnival Row Are Among Her Biggest TV Roles Since

Although Merchant didn’t play Daenerys beyond Game of Thrones‘ unaired pilot episode, The Tudors star went on to land other big projects afterward. Since her stint as the Mother of Dragons, her biggest TV roles have been Anne Hale in Salem and Imogen Spurnrose in Carnival Row. She also appeared as Lyra Strayd in several episodes of The CW’s Supergirl. These are among the places viewers may have seen her since her departure from Game of Thrones, though she has been in numerous films as well.

Merchant appeared as Sarah in 2015’s The Messenger, Kate in the 2016 film The Dancer, Sara in 2020’s Running Naked. She also played Helena in 2022’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and most recently, she was Aunt Harriet in the miniseries Tom Jones. Merchant wouldn’t have gotten to do so many other projects if she’d been busy with Game of Thrones, so there is a bright side to Daenerys being recast. With any luck, the actress was more excited for her other recent roles, too, as that’s crucial to succeeding in them.