Emilia Clarke, best known for her iconic role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, has shared her thoughts on the highly anticipated prequel series, House of the Dragon. Despite its success, Clarke admits she has yet to watch the spinoff. “I still can’t,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I just don’t know what it is.”
The Actress is Content with Her Own Journey
Clarke explains that her reluctance to watch the new series stems from her satisfaction with her own experience on Game of Thrones. “I feel so content and happy with what my experience was,” she says. “Watching the new one would just feel so odd, I think.” For Clarke, Game of Thrones holds a special place in her heart, and the idea of diving into House of the Dragon doesn’t feel quite right.
Supporting the Success of the Spinoff
Although Clarke doesn’t watch House of the Dragon, she expresses her unwavering support for the show’s success. “I really do fully support the entire thing and everyone who’s made it, and it’s beautiful how successful it’s been,” Clarke says, emphasizing that she’s thrilled about the spinoff’s achievements. “It’s absolutely amazing.”
A New Appreciation for “Game of Thrones” Over Time
Reflecting on her own time on Game of Thrones, Clarke admits that her perspective on the series has evolved over the years. “The more distance I have from Game of Thrones, the more I can quantify it,” she reveals. “When I started, you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t know what you’re surrounded by and you don’t know what you’re taking part in.”
As time has passed, Clarke’s admiration for the show has deepened. “Now, as more and more time goes between it and me doing it, the more I’m like, that was incredibly special and that was incredibly rare,” she adds.
House of the Dragon: A New Era for the Targaryens
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones and follows the events leading to the downfall of House Targaryen, set nearly two centuries before Clarke’s character, Daenerys, is born. The series stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and Rhys Ifans, among others. The first season of House of the Dragon was met with critical acclaim and earned multiple nominations, including a nod for Outstanding Drama Series at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
Despite Clarke’s decision not to watch the spinoff, her deep connection to the Game of Thrones universe remains clear, and she continues to celebrate its lasting impact on both herself and fans worldwide.
