The Roles Emilia Clarke Refused—And Why She Won’t Go There Again

Emilia Clarke may be best known for her fiery portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, but the actress has been just as outspoken about the roles she’s chosen not to take. From candid reflections on her early career discomfort with nudity to her refusal to be typecast, Clarke has consistently prioritized integrity and authenticity in shaping her career.

Early Struggles on Game of Thrones

When Clarke first appeared on HBO’s Game of Thrones, she was thrust into international stardom — and into some of the most talked-about nude scenes on television. In a 2019 appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard, Clarke admitted those early moments on set were daunting.

“I was so young,” she reflected, explaining how intimidating it felt to perform in vulnerable scenes with so many eyes on her. Watching the episodes with her parents only amplified the discomfort. Clarke recalled her father’s shocked reaction to the repeated nudity, underscoring how the professional demands of the role bled into her personal life in uneasy ways.

Saying No to Fifty Shades of Grey

The experience on Game of Thrones shaped Clarke’s future career choices. One of the most prominent roles she turned down was Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. Though the part could have catapulted her further into Hollywood’s spotlight, Clarke declined, wary of being pigeonholed in roles that demanded nudity above all else.

She explained that she did not want her career to be defined by such performances, fearing the label of “that actress who always does nudity.” Her decision highlighted a growing determination to control her narrative rather than let Hollywood define it for her.

Rejecting the “Strong Female Character” Label

Beyond specific roles, Clarke has also been critical of the way women are portrayed in the industry. She has called out the overused phrase “strong female character” as reductive and even sexist. To Clarke, the term suggests a box that female roles must fit into, rather than allowing women to be as varied and complex as their male counterparts.

“What’s wrong with being messy, vulnerable, or flawed?” she has asked in past interviews. For Clarke, authenticity matters far more than fitting a cliché of strength.

Charting a Different Path

Though she acknowledges the difficulties of her early experiences, Clarke has emerged as an actress unafraid to speak up about industry practices that don’t serve her — or women in general. By turning down roles that could typecast her and advocating for layered, realistic portrayals of women, she continues to reshape expectations in Hollywood.

Her candid reflections offer a reminder of the challenges many women face in entertainment, where pressure to conform remains strong. Yet Clarke’s choices show that success does not have to come at the expense of authenticity.

Would you like me to frame this piece with more of a Hollywood industry analysis angle — looking at Clarke’s choices as part of a larger trend among actresses resisting typecasting — or keep it as a personal profile centered mainly on her own journey?