Emilia Clarke on Kissing Kit Harington: Awkward, Hilarious, and Perfectly Game of Thrones

For millions of Game of Thrones fans, the romance between Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow was a fiery, fateful union—dragons, betrayal, and all. But for Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington, bringing that love story to life was less about smoldering glances and more about… trying not to laugh.

In a candid 2024 interview with FandomWire, Clarke admitted that filming love scenes with Harington—her close friend of nearly six years before the romance even began on-screen—was “a little weird.” Their sibling-like bond, forged long before Season 7’s romantic twist, made the sudden pivot to passionate partners both surreal and amusing.

From Friends to Lovers… On Screen
The pair’s on-screen relationship reached its peak in Season 8 with the now-iconic “waterfall kiss” scene. But behind the camera, Clarke says she couldn’t help giggling during takes. “It just felt unnatural,” she explained, noting how their deep friendship made romantic moments feel more like acting exercises than emotional confessions.

Kit’s Secret Weapon: Comedy
If the situation was awkward, Harington had the perfect cure—humor. Clarke revealed that her co-star would sometimes pretend to gag or look ill after kissing her, a bit of silliness that instantly cut the tension. “Quite funny,” she recalled with a laugh, adding that the playfulness helped them stay relaxed and professional despite the odd circumstances.

Harington himself echoed this sentiment in a 2019 Variety interview, calling their intimate scenes “really odd” but acknowledging that laughter was often the best way to get through them.

Fans Got a Glimpse
Audiences even caught a peek at their behind-the-scenes antics in HBO’s 2019 Game of Thrones documentaries, where one take ended with Harington dramatically gagging mid-kiss as Clarke doubled over in laughter. Outlets like Elle and Glamour were quick to celebrate the moment as proof of the duo’s lighthearted rapport.

The Professionalism Beneath the Playfulness
Though Clarke has described one sex scene as “almost very awkward,” she insists their mutual respect and years of working together ensured the performances stayed authentic. Their real-life friendship gave their on-screen romance a foundation of trust, helping them navigate moments that could have easily tipped into discomfort.

A Familiar Acting Challenge
Clarke’s experience mirrors that of other actors who’ve gone from platonic co-stars to on-screen lovers—think Emma Watson and Rupert Grint’s famously “strange” kiss in Harry Potter. But her willingness to embrace the weirdness and lean into the humor made her approach uniquely charming.

A Legacy of Laughter
Now, years after Game of Thrones ended, Clarke’s reflections offer fans a warm, funny perspective on one of television’s most talked-about couples. In the end, their shared laughter didn’t just ease the awkwardness—it helped deliver some of the show’s most memorable romantic moments, proving that even in Westeros, comedy can be the best kind of chemistry.

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