by Emilia Clarke, the British actress best known for her iconic portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen on the HBO epic fantasy series Game of Thrones, has captivated audiences with her immense talent and charismatic screen presence. Though she exploded onto the scene with her star-making turn on Thrones, Clarke has continued to showcase her versatility and dramatic chops across various mediums. One particular performance that Clarke counts as exceptionally meaningful came in 2016, when she made her Broadway debut in the romantic drama Me Before You. Clarke lit up the stage in her portrayal of the upbeat Louisa Clark, delivering a funny, heartfelt, and utterly unforgettable performance that, by her own account, truly stole her heart.
Me Before You, based on the popular novel by Jojo Moyes, centers around the relationship that develops between Clarke’s character Louisa and Will Traynor, a wealthy quadriplegic man. Louisa is hired as Will’s caretaker, and though they initially clash, the two eventually form a deep bond. Their connection culminates in a gorgeous dance scene in the second act, which Clarke cites as her favorite part of the entire show. As Clarke and her costar maneuvered across the stage, their palpable chemistry and emotion translated to a moment of pure magic, even though the characters understand their time together is painfully limited.
By all accounts, Clarke more than rose to the challenges presented by this emotionally complex role. She drew rave reviews for her Broadway debut, with critics praising her “irresistible sincerity and irrepressible spirit” and noting that she gave Louisa “an inner glow of amiability and stouthearted decency.” It’s clear that Clarke deeply connected to Louisa, whom she described as having an “incredible lust for life and sense of humor, and doesn’t take herself too seriously.” No doubt Clarke was able to imbue Louisa with such vibrancy and humanity because the character’s outlook aligned so closely with her own.
Though Me Before You marked a major career milestone as Clarke’s first foray onto the Broadway stage, it held even deeper personal significance for the actress. She took on the role during an exceptionally difficult period in her life, having recently lost her beloved father to cancer. The grief Clarke felt was still so raw, but she found solace and catharsis in bringing Louisa to life each night. Pouring herself into the show served as a temporary refuge from her profound pain. As Clarke put it, “being on stage was like therapy for me. It was just a pure escape.”
Under such intense emotional circumstances, it’s no wonder that the dazzling dance scene with Will was imprinted on Clarke’s heart forever. As their characters swayed across the stage, Clarke temporarily forgot her sadness and lost herself in the beauty and intimacy of the moment. She was able to focus solely on the joyful connection between Louisa and Will, pushing aside her inner turmoil for those treasured few minutes. Clarke found the experience so rewarding that she called it her “favorite scene in the whole play.”
Though all of Clarke’s scenes in Me Before You surely came from an authentic place, this particular sequence represented a pinnacle of artistic truth. Having endured profound grief herself, Clarke understood intimately Louisa’s desire to block out unpleasant realities and live fully in whatever time she had with Will. Like her character, Clarke yearned to get lost in a beautiful moment with someone, putting real-life heartbreak temporarily out of mind. She surely channeled all of this insight into her acting in that poignant dance scene, resulting in a transcendent theatrical experience.
Beyond the scene’s cathartic impact on her grieving heart, Clarke also relished the sheer exhilaration of dancing on stage. She embraced the physicality required for the sequence, viewing it as a departure from her typical acting repertoire. Clarke loved showing audiences a different facet of her talent and versatility. Yet despite the scene’s obvious technical demands, its true power stemmed from the emotional authenticity that Clarke infused into every step. Her recent trauma granted her a nuanced understanding of Louisa’s desire to treasure joy wherever she could find it.
Ultimately, Clarke’s profound personal connection to this resonant scene made it a truly unforgettable artistic achievement. Even years later, it still represents a crowning moment in her distinguished career. Yet beyond acclaim and applause, what makes the memory so precious for Clarke is the solace it provided during her time of sorrow. In those dance steps, she found temporary liberation from grief – and that catharsis helped her heal. All these layers of meaning converged to make that performance an indelible experience that Clarke will forever hold dear to her heart.
Long before her name became synonymous with Game of Thrones, Clarke proved herself a versatile talent capable of both fantasy epics and grounded human dramas. Me Before You showcased the full range of her skills, while also allowing her to grow as an artist by channeling painful personal events into poignant theatrical magic. When she danced her heart out across that stage, Clarke honored her character’s longing to savor beauty amidst tragedy – while also processing her own grief. The show meant the world to Clarke, but that dance sequence with Will Traynor represented the crystalline gem of the production. In television or theater, Clarke makes all her performances shine brightly, but her luminous turn in Me Before You will always outshine the rest as a career hallmark. Her poignant dance embodied the transporting power of art, turning private pain into a moment of universal human grace and connection.
