Emilia Clarke by Pal Hansen for The Observer June 2022

Emilia Isabelle Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. Clarke studied at the Drama Centre London and appeared in a number of stage productions. Her television debut came in 2009 with a guest appearance in an episode of the British soap opera Doctors. The following year, she was named as one of the UK Stars of Tomorrow by Screen International magazine for her role in the Syfy film Triassic Attack (2010).

Clarke rose to international prominence in 2011 for her breakthrough role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019). The role garnered her critical acclaim, international recognition, and several accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Three were for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, with the fourth nomination being for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2019.

Clarke made her Broadway debut as Holly Golightly in the 2013 play Breakfast at Tiffany's and appeared in a West End production of The Seagull in 2020. Her film roles include Sarah Connor in the science fiction film Terminator Genisys (2015) and Qi'ra in the Star Wars film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). She has also starred in the romantic films Me Before You (2016) and Last Christmas (2019). In 2018, she was honoured by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with the British Artist of the Year award. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.