by Emilia Clarke skyrocketed to fame with her role as Daenerys Targaryen on the global phenomenon TV series Game of Thrones. While Clarke enjoyed incredible success from the show, she has recently opened up about the immense toll that level of fame and hectic schedule took on her health and personal life.
Clarke has bravely shared her battles with intense burnout, chronic exhaustion, brain aneurysms and the loss of her sense of self – becoming the face of Hollywood’s burnout crisis. Her story highlights the immense pressures placed on stars and the hugely disproportionate value placed on productivity over health.
The Always-On Work Culture Creates Unbearable Stress
Clarke described life during 10 years on Game of Thrones as all-consuming with an endless hamster wheel of red carpet events, press tours, production schedules and strict filming routines. She was expected to be “on” 24/7 with little time to rest in between her insane workload.
“You’re deemed as very lucky, which of course you are, but that doesn’t mean you’re not still a real human being at the end of the day,” Clarke explained.
This always-on culture and lack of work-life balance is endemic in Hollywood and leads to utterly unbearable stress. Stars like Clarke sacrifice their whole lives and selves in service to their careers. Personal relationships, family, friends and health inevitably end up neglected.
“I was able to finally admit that I’m so tired and I’m so scared,” Clarke shared. This brutal schedule exhausted her both mentally and physically, depleting her coping resources.
Two Devastating Brain Aneurysms
In the early days of Game of Thrones, Clarke secretly battled two terrifying brain aneurysms that burst whilst filming. She experienced excruciating health emergencies that could easily have killed her or left her with severe disabilities.
Whilst recovering from painful procedures to seal off the aneurysms, Clarke struggled with anxiety, isolation and clinical depression.
“I felt so incredibly lost and quite frightened and grief-stricken,” she described.
Yet she felt intense pressure to return to set as soon as she was discharged from hospital – despite clearly being in desperate need of rest and recuperation.
“In my worst moments, I wanted to pull the plug. I asked the medical staff to let me die. My job – my entire dream of what my life would be – centered on language, on communication. Without that, I was lost,” Clarke shared.
Risking her life to film Game of Thrones demonstrates how distorted priorities had become. Clarke’s entire sense of purpose and self-worth relied solely on productivity – no matter the cost.
Unable to Speak Her Truth
Despite going through intensely traumatic health battles, Clarke felt unable to speak openly about it for many years without being judged.
“I never want to be scoped as someone who is defined by their condition or disease,” she explained.
The entertainment industry fixates solely on profits, viewing stars as income-generating commodities rather than human beings with limits. So Clarke hid her problems and pushed herself to breaking point repeatedly.
It has taken intense therapy and self-work for Clarke to realize her truth.
“A aneurysm ruptures in about a third of patients before they ever reach the hospital. I feel endless grateful that I’m still able to speak, write, walk in a straight line. If there was an option to go back in time and make my younger self more aware of the pressure she was put under, I would do anything to make that happen. To protect my health, well-being, to allow myself space and time to heal.”
Loss of Sense of Self Fame also impacted Clarke’s mental health and sense of identity outside Daenerys Targaryen. As an unknown 23 year old, she was suddenly one of the most recognized faces in the world.
But did anyone actually know the real Emilia?
“You get recognized a lot, and you lose a lot of what defines you as human.”
Playing such a strong iconic character took an immense toll:
“I feel her in me. I lived her for 10 years. I can hear her voice. I broke down a lot because I was generally pretty tired but specifically tired from keeping her at bay. I don’t think there was a day on set I wasn’t reminded of Emilia. The character and I just got closer and closer. I really lived and breathed her for 10 years.”
Clarke had spent over a decade embodying Daenerys which left her struggling to differentiate where the character ended and she began.
Reclaiming Her Life Now in her mid 30s, Clarke is reclaiming her life and striving for balance. She is fiercely devoted to self-care, surrounding herself with support systems and remembering she exists outside her career.
“You have to live within yourself, not deny yourself aspects of your nature or who you really are,” Clarke declared. “Past trauma is part and parcel of why we are the way we are.”
Clarke actively works on boundaries, tuning into her instincts and stripping back overwhelming busy schedules. She recognizes that glorifying burnout is deeply unhealthy.
“Saying yes all the time is bad for your mental health.”
Speaking Out Against Social Pressures
As Clarke overcame her health battles and burnout issues, she felt compelled to speak her truth.
Sharing vulnerable stories about aneurysms, exhaustion and losing herself has made Clarke the face of Hollywood’s burnout crisis.
“I’m telling you this…so that you don’t do what I did and run yourself into the ground with work to avoid facing your own life.”
Clarke is breaking stigmas and encouraging vital conversations about how we jeopardize human health for productivity and profit.
“We need to rethink how we value health over headlines. We need to rethink how we support mental health in the creative industry. You are more than your productivity.”
Her courage to speak openly should inspire us to challenge broken systems and create holistic nurturing environments.
Clarke’s message is powerful and clear:
“Screw being cool and on top of things! Take breaks, do less, look after your health.”
