The bond between Daenerys Targaryen and her devoted handmaiden, Missandei, was one of the most beloved and pure relationships in HBO’s monumental fantasy series, Game of Thrones. That onscreen loyalty, it turns out, was deeply mirrored in real life between actresses Emilia Clarke and Nathalie Emmanuel. The full measure of this friendship was revealed when Nathalie Emmanuel (who played Missandei) spoke out about a moment of on-set harassment early in her tenure. A comment made about her costume threatened her dignity, but it was the swift, uncompromising reaction of Emilia Clarke that protected her and provided a powerful lesson in female solidarity.
The Uncomfortable Moment and The Star’s Response
Nathalie Emmanuel joined the cast of Game of Thrones in Season 3. Her character, Missandei, began as an enslaved translator, and her early costumes were, by design, revealing and intended to denote her status.
As Emmanuel recounted in an interview with British Vogue, during her first season, she was subjected to an inappropriate comment about her attire from a male co-star (sources identified him as a supporting actor or extra). The moment was profoundly awkward and typical of the microaggressions women face in professional environments.
However, before the situation could fester or compromise Emmanuel’s standing as a new cast member, Emilia Clarke (who played Daenerys Targaryen) immediately intervened. Despite her considerable status as the show’s leading star—the Mother of Dragons—Clarke leveraged her influence to protect her new co-star.
As Emmanuel stated: “Emilia straightaway had my back. It got handled.”
This decisive action, taken without hesitation, immediately shut down the inappropriate behavior and sent a clear message across the set that harassment would not be tolerated.
🌟 A True Warrior: The Bond Forged in a Male-Dominated Set
The incident immediately forged a deep and lasting friendship between the two women. Emmanuel noted that they had quickly bonded, recognizing the unique challenge of their environment. “If you’re the only girls on a male-dominated set, it bonds you in a certain way,” she explained.
Clarke’s instinct to protect Emmanuel was rooted in her own previous experiences on the show. Clarke herself had spoken publicly about the difficulties of filming frequent nudity early in the series and how her on-screen husband, Jason Momoa (who played Khal Drogo), had previously defended her from similar pressures. By defending Emmanuel, Clarke was paying forward the kindness and protection she had once received.
Emmanuel called Clarke a “true warrior,” acknowledging that her intervention was more than just a friendly gesture; it was a professional and feminist stand that taught her the critical lesson that women must always protect each other in the workplace.
The Data of Female Representation
The bond between Clarke and Emmanuel, and their real-life fight for respect, highlighted the very real issues of gender representation and treatment on the show. The friendship and scenes between Daenerys and Missandei stood as one of the show’s most powerful depictions of female leadership and alliance, and the two actresses carried that banner off-screen.
The death of Missandei in the final season (at the hands of Cersei Lannister), which was criticized by figures like director Ava DuVernay for eliminating one of the series’ only major non-white female characters, further amplified the critical importance of the real-life solidarity that Clarke had demonstrated.
By immediately taking a stand, Emilia Clarke used her power for good, ensuring that Nathalie Emmanuel, who would go on to have a large supporting role for six seasons, could continue her work with her dignity intact, illustrating that true power is measured by how one defends the vulnerable.