The set of Game of Thrones was known for its intense and sensitive scenes, but one particular day of shooting froze the entire production when actress Emilia Clarke realized her beloved brother was part of the camera crew—and was forced to witness her filming a steamy scene with co-star Kit Harington (who played Jon Snow). Clarke’s visceral reaction to the awkward family encounter made everyone burst into laughter.
The Unexpected Presence
The scenario took place during the filming of the Season 7 finale, which featured the first intimate scene between Clarke’s character, Daenerys Targaryen, and Harington’s Jon Snow—a moment made famously uncomfortable by the characters’ eventual revelation as blood relatives (aunt and nephew). Emilia Clarke, who was always candid about the challenges of filming intimate content, had an additional layer of discomfort on this particular day. Her younger brother, Bennett Clarke, was working on the series in the camera department (specifically, as a camera trainee for seasons 7 and 8). As the sensitive scene was being set up, Clarke realized that her brother was part of the unit scheduled to be on set for the duration of the shoot. The entire set momentarily “froze” at the sheer, excruciating awkwardness of the situation.
The Desire to Disappear
Clarke’s reaction, which she recounted during a later comic convention appearance, was one of pure, hilarious panic, instantly stealing the spotlight from the dramatic scene about to be filmed. She looked at her co-star, Kit Harington, and pleaded for a quick, family-based evacuation: “I do remember the day, our sex scene day, and my brother was there… It was literally like, ‘Mate! You’ve got to get him out of here! He’s not allowed to be here!’” The visual of the star desperately wanting to “disappear into the ground” while her brother, Bennett, a member of the crew, was simply trying to do his job, sent the cast and crew into fits of hysterical laughter. Kit Harington, already close friends with Clarke, also felt the intense sibling awkwardness.
The Stark Contrast
The incident provided a fascinating, humorous contrast: Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), the principal star, whose job demands complete vulnerability and emotional exposure on screen, and Bennett Clarke, an essential, but mostly unseen, crew member, whose job demands he be quietly present for all aspects of filming. While Clarke successfully (and hilariously) managed to get her brother safely off set that day, the anecdote remains a memorable piece of Game of Thrones lore, proving that even in the high-fantasy world of Westeros, nothing is more awkward than filming a steamy scene with your own family member nearby.