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Emilia Clarke says she convinced herself she was meant to die after two aneurysms
Entertainment
Published on 15 May 2026
Doctors warned survival was precarious if she delayed surgery
Emilia Clarke, who became a fan favorite as Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, revealed how her own near-death experience mirrored the show’s tragedy. Soon after finishing filming the first season in 2011, she collapsed after sensing a developing headache and learned she’d suffered a ruptured aneurysm. After a “very painful” first surgery and a second in 2013, she says she felt her chances of surviving were precarious, and even told herself she was “meant to die” while continuing to work.
- Clarke’s health crisis began in February 2011 after filming Season 1
- She suffered two aneurysms/ruptures over three years
- Her first event involved subarachnoid hemorrhage and urgent sealing treatment
- A second operation in 2013 required opening through the skull
- She said doctors warned her chances of surviving were precarious without surgery
- Clarke later feared she had been left brain-damaged
Read the full story at Republic
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
Republic