Why did Emilia Clarke have to hide her skin color? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Emilia Clarke has made a name for herself over the last decade and a half, in part thanks to her breakout role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, which she enlivened for nine years. The British actress, fawned over by the world for her Hollywood roles, shares genes from another part of the globe.
The actress, who stands with roots across the British Isles, holds a concealed heritage that perfectly complements her white identity. That secret stems tens of thousands of miles away in India, born during the colonial era.
As it turns out, Clarke’s maternal grandmother came from a hidden affair between Clarke’s great-grandmother and a man from British India. In fact, to fit in England, the former had to assume light makeup all the time to conceal the darker complexion she inherited from her biological father. The Secret Invasion actress has openly indulged in this part of her personal life.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Clarke said, “The fact that [my grandmother] had to hide her skin color, essentially, and try desperately to fit in with everyone else must’ve been incredibly difficult.” The Me Before You actress has also been quoted emphasizing that her grandmother “loved India more than she loved England,” a pull that stuck. She told Celebitchy, “I love that part of me—I’m like one-eighth Indian,” a piece she sees as key to who she is.
Clarke, who is best known for portraying Daenerys Targaryen on the acclaimed HBO drama, ties her eastern roots to her character’s journey west, much like her character of Valyrian roots moving to Westeros. Such links and deep familial bonds she shares with her family can be exemplified further. When her grandmother passed, a sixteen-year-old Clarke traveled to India to scatter her ashes.
The Solo: A Star Wars Story actress keeps that background close, a family tale once tucked away. It’s not just her screen work — from birthing dragons to meet-cutes in romantic comedies — that marks her path. The strength from her kin, who faced tough spots, also defines her character. Clarke stands out for fans, and this slice of her past rounds out the picture.
Emilia Clarke similarly indulges in varied genres when it comes to her filmography. Keeping busy, Clarke’s next turn is in Netflix’s family comedy The Twits, slated to land on June 13. Fans can catch her voice in this Roald Dahl spin, a shift from her gritty past roles.
