Emilia Clarke Struggled With Self-Esteem Issues after Her Surgeries

Health & FitnessJune 24, 2019

Emilia Clarke was basically unknown to television viewers before she starred in the hit HBO TV series Game of Thrones. The show took off, and the actress, at the same time, caught everyone’s attention as she captivated viewers with her beauty and perfect portrayal of the silver-haired “Khaleesi” Daenerys Targaryen.

Just when the television series was about to end, the actress revealed that during the early seasons of it, she suffered not one, but two brain aneurysms that required her to have two separate surgeries. Apparently the medical procedures left the actress feeling deeply unattractive, something that many were surprised to learn.

Clarke talked to ‘Stylist’ about her feelings during this rough period, recalling how she looked post surgery – half of her face swollen, she was bloated because of water retention, and she had so many drugs in her system. Saying it’s the most unattractive she ever felt, but now that she goes back and recalls that time, it was not really her self-esteem that made her feel that way, but rather the pain hiding behind her eyes.

She remembered that her feeling of unattractiveness occurred even when she is in-front of the mirror when she was dressing up. It eventually pushed her to not look in the mirror anymore even when she had to put makeup on, which now she thought made her look even more unattractive.

When her first stroke struck her in 2011, she stayed in the hospital for a month post surgery, and then just a few weeks after, she was back on the set of Game of Thrones to shoot the third season of the series. However, another doubled-size aneurysm was found that required another surgery. The procedure required for a part of the actress’ skull be removed and replaced with a covering made of titanium.

Clarke is back to being her bubbly self, and it has been six years since her surgery. Today, she practices wearing less makeup, because her experience taught her that seeing yourself as ‘beautiful’ is not limited to looking great in-front of the mirror, but more so with what you feel inside. Being positive and laughing most of the time makes people attractive, while feeling of self-loathing is a recipe for ugliness.