Emilia Clarke Age, Net Worth & Biography

Emilia Clarke is an English actress best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Born on 23 October 1986 in London, England, the 40-year-old went from a little-known drama school graduate to one of the most recognisable faces on television, building a career that spans blockbuster films, Broadway and the West End.

Emilia Clarke Quick Facts

Full Name	Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke
Date of Birth	23 October 1986
Age	40 years old (as of 2026)
Birthplace	London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years Active	2000–present
Known For	Game of Thrones (Daenerys Targaryen)
Net Worth	Approx. $20 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026)

Who Is Emilia Clarke?

Emilia Clarke is an English actress whose portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled queen who rises from nothing to command armies and dragons, made her a global star. She played the role across all eight seasons of Game of Thrones from 2011 to 2019, appearing in 62 episodes and earning four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work. In 2019, the same year the series ended, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Clarke’s appeal lies in a rare combination of warmth, steel and comic timing. She has headlined big-budget franchises, led romantic dramas, played the stage on both sides of the Atlantic and moved into producing, executive-producing the 2026 spy drama Ponies. Along the way she has become one of the most recognisable British actresses of her generation, alongside fellow Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner. In the 2024 New Year Honours, Clarke was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her charity work.

Emilia Clarke’s Early Life & Background

Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke was born on 23 October 1986 in London, England, and grew up in Oxfordshire. Her father was a theatre sound engineer and her mother is a businesswoman, so the world of live performance was part of family life from the start. Clarke began acting at the age of three, after seeing the musical Show Boat, on which her father was working.

She was educated at Rye St Antony School and St Edward’s School in Oxford, then trained at the Drama Centre London, graduating in 2009. Like many young actors, she worked between auditions after drama school, taking small television roles while waiting for a break. That break came quickly: within a year of graduating she had been cast in the role that would define the next decade of her life.

Emilia Clarke’s Career

Clarke made her television debut in 2009 with a guest appearance on the BBC medical drama Doctors, followed by a role in the television film Triassic Attack in 2010. Later that year she was cast as Daenerys Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones, stepping into the role after the original pilot had been filmed with a different actress. The series premiered in April 2011 and became a cultural phenomenon, running for eight seasons and winning dozens of awards. Clarke’s Daenerys, who begins the story as a frightened teenager sold into marriage and ends it as a feared conqueror, was the emotional spine of the show, and her performance earned her four Primetime Emmy nominations.

While Game of Thrones was still running, Clarke built a film career alongside it. She played Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys (2015), starred opposite Sam Claflin in the romantic drama Me Before You (2016), played Qi’ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) and led the festive romance Last Christmas (2019). On stage, she made her Broadway debut as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 2013 and later played Nina in Chekhov’s The Seagull at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End, a production that ran in 2020 and again in 2022. Her stage work places her in the same company as Jodie Comer, another British actress who has balanced screen stardom with acclaimed theatre roles.

Since Game of Thrones ended, Clarke has kept moving into new territory. She joined the Marvel series Secret Invasion in 2023 as G’iah, voiced a role in the animated film The Twits (2025) and in 2026 starred in and executive-produced Ponies, a Cold War-era spy drama in which she plays Beatrice “Bea” Grant. She also starred in the film Next Life (2026) and is in production on the television series Criminal, set for 2027. Alongside acting, she co-founded the charity SameYou, which supports people recovering from brain injuries, and her work for the charity earned her the MBE in 2024.

Facts About Emilia Clarke

• Clarke was cast as Daenerys Targaryen in 2010, stepping into the role after the original pilot had been filmed with another actress.
• She earned four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on Game of Thrones and was named to the Time 100 list in 2019.
• She made her Broadway debut as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 2013.
• She co-founded the charity SameYou and was appointed MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for her charity work.
• For the final two seasons of Game of Thrones, she earned a reported $1.1 million per episode, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Emilia Clarke?

Emilia Clarke is 40 years old. She was born on 23 October 1986 in London, England.

What is Emilia Clarke’s net worth?

Emilia Clarke’s net worth is approximately $20 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026).

Who is Emilia Clarke’s partner?

No current partner is publicly confirmed for Emilia Clarke. She previously dated Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane in 2012–2013 and filmmaker Charlie McDowell in 2018–2019.

What is Emilia Clarke best known for?

Emilia Clarke is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen on HBO’s Game of Thrones (2011–2019), appearing in 62 episodes and earning four Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

What is Emilia Clarke doing now?

In 2026, Emilia Clarke starred in and executive-produced Ponies, a Cold War-era spy drama. She also appeared in the film Next Life and is in production on the television series Criminal, set for 2027.

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