“I Woke Up and Didn’t Know My Own Name”: Emilia Clarke Opens Up About the Two Lost Days That Changed Her Life Forever

For millions of fans around the world, Emilia Clarke will forever be remembered as Daenerys Targaryen — the fearless “Mother of Dragons” from Game of Thrones. But away from the cameras and the fame, the actress was fighting a much more personal and perilous battle — one that nearly took her life and left her with two days completely missing from her memory.

In a recent, deeply emotional reflection, Clarke revealed the hidden scars of her near-death experience and how it reshaped her life, her career, and her understanding of strength.

“I woke up and didn’t know my own name,” she said. “Two days of my life — gone. Just… blank. It’s terrifying to know your mind can disappear like that.”

A Collapse That Changed Everything

The incident occurred in 2011, shortly after Game of Thrones had catapulted Clarke to international fame. While working out in a London gym, she suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed her with a subarachnoid hemorrhage — a life-threatening type of brain aneurysm that required immediate surgery.

“I couldn’t remember faces, couldn’t find words. The woman in the mirror didn’t feel like me,” Clarke recalled. “And the scariest part was wondering if I’d ever be able to act again — or even be myself again.”

Her recovery was grueling, marked by pain, memory loss, and moments of deep fear. For two full days, Clarke’s memory was completely blank — a side effect of the trauma and emergency procedures.

Doctors later told her that her survival — and full cognitive recovery — was nothing short of a miracle.

Returning to the Mother of Dragons

Astonishingly, Clarke returned to filming Game of Thrones’ second season just weeks after her surgery. While fans saw Daenerys as a symbol of strength, few knew that the actress behind her was fighting a real battle of her own.

“I’d look in the mirror in costume and whisper, ‘You’re still here. You’re alive,’” Clarke said. “That was my mantra.”

Behind every commanding scene was a woman quietly determined to reclaim control over her body and her life — even when her brain had betrayed her.

“There were moments I wanted to give up,” she admitted. “But Daenerys’ story — her fight, her fire — reminded me of who I wanted to be.”

From Survivor to Advocate

The experience left Clarke with lasting emotional scars — but also a new purpose. In 2019, she founded SameYou, a charity dedicated to helping brain injury and stroke survivors recover physically and emotionally.

“The scars are invisible, but they’re real,” Clarke said. “You learn to live with the uncertainty — and that’s where real strength begins.”

Through SameYou, Clarke hopes to provide the kind of care and compassion she found missing during her own recovery.

“I Became the Fighter People Saw On Screen”

Fans across the globe have praised Clarke’s courage and openness, calling her “a real-life queen” for using her platform to raise awareness about brain injuries.

Clarke, now fully recovered, says the ordeal forever changed how she views life and fame.

“People see Daenerys and think I played a fighter,” she said with a smile. “But the truth is — I became one.”

Her story, once hidden behind the epic fantasy of Game of Thrones, is now an enduring reminder that even the most powerful heroes — on screen or off — often emerge from their most fragile moments.

And for Emilia Clarke, those two lost days are no longer a symbol of what was taken from her — but of everything she fought to reclaim.