The Emilia Clarke Role That Made Her Cry On Set—And It’s Not What You Think!

Emilia Clarke, best known for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones, has captured audiences’ hearts with her remarkable range and emotional depth across both television and film. With a career spanning iconic roles like Sarah Connor in Terminator: Genisys and Qi’ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Clarke has proven her versatility in multiple genres. But it’s her powerful portrayals in emotionally charged narratives, particularly in Me Before You, that have left both her and audiences teary-eyed.

Me Before You: The Role That Made Her Cry

In Me Before You (2016), Clarke takes on the role of Lou Clarke, a caregiver to a quadriplegic man, Will Traynor (played by Sam Claflin), who is contemplating assisted suicide. The story, based on Jojo Moyes’ best-selling novel, is an emotional rollercoaster that explores themes of love, loss, and moral dilemmas. For Clarke, this role demanded a deep emotional immersion, and it’s no surprise that it moved both her and her audience to tears.

Clarke has openly shared the emotional toll the role took on her. In one interview, she revealed that the film made an entire rugby team cry, highlighting the profound impact her performance had on viewers. “You told me it was a rom-com!” Clarke recalled her friend saying, referencing how unexpected the film’s heavy emotional themes were (Emilia Clarke reveals how her role in Me Before You made an entire rugby team cry).

Behind the scenes, Clarke and Claflin spent months rehearsing and deeply connecting with their characters, which led to emotional moments on set. Videos like Emilia Clarke & Sam Claflin Cry Together show the actors sharing a vulnerable moment, a testament to the emotional weight they both carried. Critics have also praised Clarke’s portrayal, noting the intense chemistry between her and Claflin, further validating the profound emotional journey she undertook to bring Lou Clarke to life.

Given the nature of the role and the documented emotional reactions from both Clarke and her co-stars, it seems clear that Me Before You was a role that deeply affected her on an emotional level.

Game of Thrones: Daenerys Targaryen’s Emotional Arcs

Clarke’s role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones is iconic, spanning eight seasons and countless emotional highs and lows. From her harrowing forced marriage to Khal Drogo to the heartbreaking losses of her dragons and loved ones, Daenerys’s journey was one of immense emotional strain. However, it was not just the character’s story that affected Clarke—it was also the grueling process of bringing such a complex role to life.

One of the standout moments from the series is Season 1, Episode 10, “Fire and Blood,” where Daenerys suffers the devastating loss of both her son and Drogo. Clarke’s portrayal in these scenes was universally praised, with outlets like The Boston Globe calling her performance “mesmerising.” Despite the emotionally charged content of these scenes, Clarke has noted that her tears during the production were often due to external pressures, such as a mishap on her first day on set when she fell off a horse (Why did Emilia Clarke cry on her first day of Game of Thrones?).

By the time the series concluded, Clarke revealed that reading the final scripts for Daenerys was a “f***ing struggle,” acknowledging the emotional difficulty of letting go of such a monumental character. While her portrayal of Daenerys was undoubtedly emotionally demanding, Clarke’s documented tears appear more connected to the physical and mental challenges of the role, rather than the emotional content of the character’s journey.

Other Roles: Exploring Less Emotionally Taxing Performances

While Clarke’s portrayal of Lou Clarke in Me Before You is undoubtedly the most emotionally charged role of her career, other performances, such as her role in Last Christmas (2019), have not seen similar emotional intensity. In Last Christmas, Clarke plays Kate, a disillusioned Christmas store worker, in a romantic comedy that blends humor with a heartwarming twist. While the film showcases Clarke’s comedic timing and chemistry with co-star Henry Golding, there are no reports of her crying during filming. This role, while delightful, seems to have had a lighter emotional toll.

Similarly, her action-packed roles in Terminator: Genisys (2015) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) did not demand the same level of emotional vulnerability. These roles, while iconic in their own right, were more focused on physicality and action, with little indication of emotional strain leading to tears on set.

Conclusion: The Emotional Toll of Clarke’s Career

Emilia Clarke’s career has been defined by a mix of powerful, emotional performances and action-packed roles. While her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen was emotionally demanding, it was her role as Lou Clarke in Me Before You that left a lasting emotional impact on both her and the audience. The deep emotional connection she shared with her co-stars and the intense preparation required for the role make it clear that this was the role that truly brought Clarke to tears, offering a poignant reminder of the power of storytelling in the hands of a talented actress.