Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has opened up about the lasting effects of the two life-threatening brain aneurysms she suffered in her 20s – revealing that parts of her brain are permanently missing, and admitting she’s still “amazed” she can speak.
Clarke experienced her first aneurysm in 2011, shortly after filming the first season of HBO’s fantasy epic. She collapsed during a workout, later undergoing surgery to repair the damage. A second aneurysm struck in 2013, requiring further treatment and months of recovery.
Speaking about her ordeal, the actor explained that scans revealed “quite a bit” of her brain was gone – damage so severe that some doctors were astonished she retained full speech and memory.
“The amount of my brain that is no longer usable – it’s remarkable that I am able to speak, sometimes articulately, and live my life completely normally with absolutely no repercussions,” Clarke said.
The 38-year-old credited her survival and recovery to a combination of world-class medical care, rehabilitation, and her own determination to return to acting. She returned to Game of Thrones just months after her first surgery, continuing in the role of Daenerys Targaryen until the show’s finale in 2019.
Clarke has since become a vocal advocate for brain injury awareness, founding the charity SameYou, which works to expand neurorehabilitation access for young people recovering from brain injury and stroke.
Her story serves as a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the human brain – and the power of sheer will in the face of life-changing adversity.
