While House of the Dragon broke HBO viewership records, and many were enamored by the Game of Thrones prequel, the Mother of Dragons herself hasn’t been able to watch the series about her Targaryen ancestors. And instead of just saying she hadn’t watched it, or didn’t want to watch it, Emilia Clarke had a hilarious A+ answer as to why she hasn’t tuned into the mega-hit GoT prequel.
In an interview with Variety Clarke was asked if she had watched HOTD yet. The actress thought about her answer for a second, nervously fidgeted and then hilariously said:
No… [laughs] It’s too weird. I’m so happy it’s happening, I’m so over the moon about all the awards for everyone who made it. Miguel Sapochnik, who created it, and made it, love him. Brilliant, wonderful. I just can’t do it. It’s so weird. It’s so weird. It’s so strange.
When I’ve talked with folks who thought House of the Dragon was too much, or “too weird,” typically it’s because they don’t like how violent and incestuous it is. I mean even the show's cast has admitted to how intense it is. For example, Milly Alcock talked about shooting an intense brothel scene where extras were “69ing for 12 hours,” and Matt Smith also said that making the show can be a lot sometimes. So, that would make sense if that was why Clarke didn’t want to watch the series.
However, that was not why she avoided the show. The actress revealed that her reason for not watching is quite personal, and deeply tied to Game of Thrones. Clarke said:
It’s kind of like someone saying: ‘Do you want to go to this school reunion that’s not your year?’ [laughs] You want to go back to that school reunion?’ That’s kind of how it feels. I’m avoiding it.
For the full experience of Clarke’s hilarious answer, you can watch it here:
You know, I get it. If I were Clarke I’d think it would be weird to watch a show that’s so intensely connected to her character. I mean the Targaryen family tree is messy to say the least, and watching actors play out the stories of Daenerys' ancestors after she's been removed from Westeros for so long would be odd. I also think her comparison to going to a high school reunion that’s not your own makes total sense, and while I would love to hear her thoughts about HOTD, I respect her decision to not watch the series.
While Clarke can’t bear to watch House of the Dragon, her Game of Thrones co-star Kit Harington loved it, the actor told ET Canada:
I am, yeah, I’m really enjoying it. My friend Miguel showran it so I’m really enjoying it. I think they’ve done a fantastic job.
Clearly, it’s a case-by-case basis when it comes to how members of the Game of Thrones cast feel about the greater GOT universe. While Clarke is avoiding it, Harington is not only loving HOTD, but he’s in the process of coming back to Westeros as Jon Snow in a new sequel series.
In conclusion, while Clarke is not totally sold on HOTD, you can watch the hit Game of Thrones prequel and its predecessor with an HBO Max subscription. Also, if you want to see what the actress behind Daenerys Targaryen is up to now, she’s set to star in Marvel’s Secret Invasion, which is on the 2023 TV schedule.
