Emilia Clarke Says She Feared Getting Fired From ‘Game Of Thrones’ & Dying “On Live TV” Due To Brain Injuries

Emilia Clarke is opening up about the fears she had following several brain injuries and the repercussions it would have on her work filming Game of Thrones.

The star of the HBO fantasy drama suffered two aneurysms in 2011 and 2013 and was worried it would affect her work playing Daenerys Targaryen.

“When you have a brain injury, because it alters your sense of self on such a dramatic level, all of the insecurities you have going into the workplace quadruple overnight,” Clarke said in an interview with Big Issue. “The first fear we all had was: ‘Oh my God, am I going to get fired? Am I going to get fired because they think I’m not capable of completing the job?’”

Clarke feared that she would suffer from another aneurysm while filming the George R.R. Martin-created series due to the stress and intense work, adding, “Well, if I’m going to die, I better die on live TV.”

The Last Christmas star is raising awareness of brain injuries with her charity SameYou, which partnered with Big Issue Recruit to help other people who have suffered from aneurysms.

“Having a chronic condition that diminishes your confidence in this one thing you feel is your reason to live is so debilitating and so lonely,” Clarke said. “One of the biggest things I felt with a brain injury was profoundly alone. That is what we’re trying to overcome.”

Clarke said that after suffering the injuries, she thought she wouldn’t be able to act again, telling the publication that she “asked medical staff to let her die.” The star was able to overcome that and now says that others can too, adding, “It has given me a superpower.”