Emilia Clarke delivered an unforgettable performance as Daenerys Targaryen in “Game of Thrones,” leaving a lasting impact on viewers, particularly with the series finale.
The challenges of Daenerys’s romantic life sparked numerous theories and debates among fans, who found themselves shipping Clarke with various co-stars, including Jason Momoa and Kit Harington, the latter of whom is now married to his “Game of Thrones” co-star Rose Leslie.
Fans shipped Clarke with co-stars Jason Momoa and Kit Harington (@emilia_clarke/Instagram)
In her own personal life, Clarke has navigated through several relationships and the heartache that can accompany them. Reflecting on her experiences in 2020, she shared some valuable advice for her younger self, saying, “You’re going to feel some serious heartbreak.
You put yourself out on a plate, and you bare everything, and someone says that they don’t really like that, so that makes you feel like you’re not worth it.
But you are, and there are lots of people who are going to tell you that you’re worth it.” She emphasized the importance of cherishing the people who genuinely matter in one’s life.
For many years, Clarke has kept her relationship status relatively private. However, back in 2016, she acknowledged that her busy filming schedule and past roles made it challenging to maintain a dating life.
She remained optimistic about love, stating, “I’m soppy, and I do like to believe that when the right person comes along, it will work, because you want to make it work.” Clarke expressed admiration for those who successfully juggle relationships alongside their careers and has had her share of romances.
A brief look at Clarke’s romantic history reveals her relationship with Seth MacFarlane. Clarke and MacFarlane reportedly started dating in 2012 but ended their relationship a year later due to the difficulties posed by long-distance.
In a candid interview with Glamour in May 2016, she addressed the challenges of dating a celebrity, explaining, “A con is you have strangers giving you love-life advice like, ‘I’m a big fan of the show, and I’m not sure what you’re doing with that guy,’ which I didn’t react well to.”
This kind of unsolicited advice was something Clarke experienced firsthand while dating MacFarlane in New York. Rumors circulated about Clarke and James Franco after they were seen together at an NYC art fair in May 2013.
Clarke’s journey showcases resilience in love and life (@officialjamesfrancoo/Instagram)
An insider described the two as looking quite friendly during their outing. Franco later cast Clarke in his film “The Garden of Last Days,” although the project was shelved just two weeks before filming was scheduled to begin, and their relationship did not progress beyond that point.
Cory Michael Smith was another name linked to Clarke after they starred together in the Broadway production of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Their connection was noted in March 2014 when they were seen holding hands and slow-dancing at Vanity Fair’s Oscars party, suggesting a budding romance.
The Australian actor Jai Courtney and Clarke met while filming “Terminator Genisys” in 2014, sparking a relationship. However, the details of their breakup remain unclear. By June 2015, Jai confirmed his single status during an interview on KIIS 1065’s “Kyle and Jackie O Show.”
Rumors began to swirl around Clarke and Charlie McDowell in 2018 when she shared a cryptic photo of an unknown shadow, which McDowell also posted with the caption, “Happy birthday, E.” In December of that same year, Clarke credited McDowell in an Instagram post.
The couple was spotted together on multiple occasions, but by March 2019, McDowell had unfollowed Clarke on social media, and he later began dating Lily Collins, whom he married in 2021.
