Emilia Clarke’s Powerful Journey to India to Honor Her Grandmother’s Legacy—What You Didn’t Know
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Emilia Clarke, widely known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, convinced millions she was born to portray the dragon queen. Yet beyond her on-screen persona lies a family history that’s as fascinating as any fantasy tale. Clarke recently opened up about her maternal grandmother’s South Asian roots, revealing a family secret that had been concealed for decades.
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Clarke shared that her maternal grandmother was half-Indian, a fact that was kept quiet during her grandmother’s lifetime. “My grandmother was colonial Indian, and it was a big old family secret because her mum had an affair with someone in India,” Clarke explained. Despite her grandmother’s efforts to blend in, even covering her skin with makeup, she harbored a deep love for India. Clarke recalls that while her grandmother felt compelled to hide her heritage, the connection to her ancestry remained strong.
After her grandmother’s passing when Clarke was just 16, the actress honored that bond. She traveled to India with her boyfriend to scatter her grandmother’s ashes, paying tribute to the part of her family’s history that had long been hidden. Reflecting on her heritage, Clarke said, “I love that part of me—I’m like one-eighth Indian.”
Clarke’s journey to embrace her ancestry mirrors the spirit of her iconic Game of Thrones character. Daenerys Targaryen, too, carried the weight of her family’s legacy, striving to reclaim what was lost while never forgetting her origins. Clarke’s pride in her South Asian roots serves as a real-world parallel to Daenerys’s determination to honor her lineage.
With her public acknowledgment of her mixed heritage, Clarke is embracing the complexity of her identity, much like the characters she’s brought to life on screen. Whether it’s through storytelling or personal reflection, the actress continues to celebrate her unique family history—one that has shaped her both as an individual and as an artist.
