Emilia Clarke almost stepped into one of Hollywood’s most talked-about roles. Before Dakota Johnson became Anastasia Steele in the film adaptation of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey‘, Clarke had the opportunity to take on the part.
Years later, she opened up about the real reason behind that decision, and it had everything to do with how explicit scenes had already focused the conversation around her career after ‘Game of Thrones‘.
Emilia Clarke Didn’t Want ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ To Define Her
While Emilia Clarke seemed perfect for the female lead of E.L. James’ bestselling novels, the actress wasn’t convinced about the project. Sure, Anastasia Steele was worlds away from Daenerys Targaryen, but they had one thing in common: nudity.
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Clarke first spoke about her decision to turn down the potential blockbuster in 2015. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about her issue with the ‘Fifty Shades‘ franchise, she simply said, “I’d done nudity before and was concerned with being labeled for doing it again.”
Her worries arose from the attention she had received with ‘Game of Thrones‘ for her body, not her performance. Although those moments were tied to the character’s storyline, they became a major talking point in interviews and media coverage. Clarke did not want to strengthen that perception by taking another sexualised role.
Clarke’s Frustration With Being Sexualised
In 2019, Clarke discussed the topic in greater detail during THR‘s roundtable. During the conversation, she praised the film’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson. She also made it clear that she respected the creative vision behind ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey.’
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“Well, Sam is a magician,” Clarke said. “I love her, and I thought her vision was beautiful.” Despite that admiration, the actress explained that her previous experience with nudity had already shaped how people viewed her work, so much so that years after filming those ‘Game of Thrones‘ scenes, they dominated every media interaction.
Clarke admitted that the constant focus bothered her. Exasperated, she said she did those scenes in service of the character, not “so some guy could check out my t–s, for God’s sake.”
Because of that experience, Clarke felt that accepting ‘Fifty Shades of Grey‘ could put her in a difficult professional position. If a limited number of such scenes had weighed so heavily on her career, what would the most controversial romance do to her future in acting? The conclusion was clear: the idea of agreeing to a project built entirely around sensuality, sex, and nudity made her uncomfortable.
Clarke recalled thinking, “I did a minimal amount, and I’m pigeonholed for life.” So, stepping into Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey’s story wasn’t worth it. She viewed saying yes to the movie as voluntarily walking into a situation where those questions would never stop.
In the end, Dakota Johnson took on the role, and the trilogy went on to gross $1.32 billion globally. But it’s safe to say Emilia Clarke never regretted her decision.
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