Emilia Clarke turned down Fifty Shades of Grey role over fears she'd be 'pigeonholed' for on-screen nudity

The actress voiced her frustration that she is still asked about nudity in Game of Thrones
EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 - Arrivals - London
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Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke turned down the lead role in the Fifty Shades of Grey film franchise because she was “sick and tired” of being asked about on-screen nudity.

The actress was up for the part of Anastasia Steele in the screen adaption of E.L. James’ novels but eventually passed on the project for fear of being “pigeonholed for life” after appearing naked in an early episode of the HBO show.

“Well, Sam [Taylor-Johnson, director] is a magician,” Clarke told The Hollywood Reporter’s Drama Actress roundtable.

“I love her, and I thought her vision was beautiful. But the last time that I was naked on camera on [Game of Thrones] was a long time ago, and yet it is the only question that I ever get asked because I am a woman.

Pigeonholed: The actress said she was "sick" of talking about on-screen nudity
AFP/Getty Images

“And it’s annoying as hell and I’m sick and tired of it because I did it for the character.”

She said that her impatience with constant questioning about nudity meant that she was not going to “voluntarily walk” into another role that required getting naked on camera.

“So, that coming up, I was like, ‘I can’t,’” she explained. “I did a minimal amount and I’m pigeonholed for life, so me saying yes to that, where the entire thing is about sensuality and sex and being naked and all of that stuff?

“I was just like, ‘No way am I going to voluntarily walk into that situation and then never be able to look someone in the eye and be like, ‘No, you can’t keep asking me this question.’”

Defining role: Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones
HBO/Helen Sloan

The role of Anastasia eventually went to Dakota Johnson, with Jamie Dornan cast as billionaire Christian Grey after Charlie Hunnam left the project.

Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones for eight seasons, and recently said goodbye to her character as the show came to a dramatic conclusion.

“This woman has taken up the whole of my heart,” she wrote alongside behind-the-scenes photos of her cast mates.

“I’ve sweated in the blaze of dragon fire, shed many tears at those who left our family early, and wrung my brain dry trying to do Khaleesi and the masterful words, actions (and names) I was given, justice.”

She said that her character had “shaped [her] as a woman” and expressed her wish that her “darling” late father had been able to watch the final episode.

Game of Thrones: TV Series - In pictures

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