Did You Know It Wasn’t Emilia Clarke Who Was Originally Cast To Play Daenerys? Learn As Carnival Row Actress Delves Into Her Time On GOT

As a follower who appreciates the journey of artists as much as their performances, I find Tamzin Merchant’s story incredibly intriguing. It’s fascinating to see how she listened to her instincts and stepped away from a role that didn’t feel right for her, even at the start of her career. Her experience on Game of Thrones served as a valuable lesson in trusting one’s gut feelings, a lesson we can all take to heart.


As a devoted fan, I must say that Emilia Clarke‘s performance as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones was captivating. However, it was Tamzin Merchant who was originally cast for the role, right at the beginning of her career. Yet, Tamzin and the rest of the series crew had a unique perspective on Daenerys, which led to a different interpretation of the character.

During an interview in 2021, Merchant spoke openly about the cast alterations and explained why she chose to leave the critically-adored series.

In her words, Tamzin Meerchat expressed that the incident where she shot the pilot served as a powerful lesson. It was a confirmation for her to trust her gut feelings and act upon them, since initially she had considered withdrawing from that particular situation.

After filming just the pilot episode and the wedding scene alongside Jason Momoa, the actress left the show, allowing Clarke to be warmly welcomed by the crew as a new character.

Merchant further added in the interview that she had first tried to back out of the role during the contract process; however, a few people persuaded the actress to play the character in Game of Thrones. 

During the filming of the wedding scene in Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse, the actor noticed an uneasy feeling. As he put it, “If my instincts are telling me that a story doesn’t excite me, then I shouldn’t force myself to get excited about it.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I’d like to share that when it comes to my craft, I don’t have formal acting training. Instead, I rely on my gut feelings and intuition to bring my characters to life both on-screen and behind the camera.

After hailing from Salem, the actress expressed her enthusiasm for performing in a television show or film, which she finds irresistible due to an outstanding plotline and a captivating character.

Afterwards, she mentioned that the Game of Thrones series didn’t really grab her attention. However, she did commend the Terminator Genisys actress for her performance, saying that the role became a remarkable demonstration of her talent, making it captivating and iconic.

When discussing Emilia Clarke, Merchant chose to describe her as “epic and outstanding,” but emphasized that the role was not deeply personal for her.

Eventually, Tamzin Merchant secured a role as the leading character in the series Carnival Row, while Emilia Clarke played the iconic Mother of Dragons across all eight seasons of Game of Thrones.

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2024-10-03 16:07