PAEmilia Clarke has opened up about the darker side of her intense fame, speaking about the issues she has had with stalking.
During an interview with The Guardian, the 33-year-old Game of Thrones star revealed she has been stalked by various individuals. She described one stalker as being ‘extremely unwell’, and another as ‘extremely mean’.
At the very same time she was becoming one of the most recognisable actors on the planet and dealing with a life-threatening stroke, Clarke was also having to contend with stalkers leaving gifts for her outside the door of her home.
GettyClarke told The Guardian how horrible her experience of stalking was, explaining:
The stalker stuff is just horrible because, as a single lady walking around town, I already feel like I’m being followed.
She also revealed some of the stalkers actually believe they are in a relationship with her:
It is confusing, because having a relationship with people I don’t know is a big part of what I signed up for. I care about what art does to people. But it carries with it a responsibility, and when you leave your front door you take that with you. And it’s a difficult path to navigate.
Because sometimes you get grabbed physically and your instincts kick in. When you see shock being registered on someone else’s face, you’re like, ‘Where’s the danger?’ And then you realise, oh, it’s me – I’m the danger.
HBOCommenting on her resilient nature in the face of such issues, Emilia said:
I’m quite a resilient human being, so a parent dying and brain haemorrhages coinciding with success and people following you in the street and getting stalkers – you’re just, like, ‘Well let’s try and make something sensible of it’.
Emilia Clarke is currently starring in festive romantic comedy Last Christmas, out in theatres now.
Call 0808 80 20 300 for help, advice and support on stalking or visit the Action Against Stalking website.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.