Fans around the world know her as the stoic Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, a role that required her to master complex fictional languages like Dothraki and High Valyrian with regal authority. But during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the London-born actress Emilia Clarke proved that her most impressive linguistic feat might be her ability to disappear into a “Cali from the Valley” persona. Jimmy Fallon was visibly stunned to see the actress shed her refined London accent to flawlessly embody a persona that could have walked right off the set of Clueless.
The “Home Depot” Invisibility Cloak
While audiences are used to Clarke’s aristocratic tone, she revealed that she possesses a secret Valley Girl alter-ego. This wasn’t just a random party trick; Clarke explained that she actually used the accent as a “cloak of invisibility” while filming Terminator Genisys (2015) in New Orleans.
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The Scenario: To avoid being recognized while shopping for an air conditioner at a local Home Depot at 3:00 a.m., Clarke put on a baseball cap and adopted a thick California accent.
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The Result: She was so convincing that the store employees—and later Jimmy Fallon—genuinely believed she could be a native Californian. As she told Fallon, “It was late, so my American accent from the movie just turned into ‘Cali from the Valley.'”
Mastering the “Valley” Nuance
During the late-night segment, Clarke demonstrated the accent to a shocked audience. She expertly utilized the key markers of the “Valley Girl” dialect, inspired by her childhood obsession with the film Clueless:
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The Filler Words: She peppered her speech with perfectly timed, high-pitched “likes,” “literallys,” and “totallys.”
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Vocal Fry: Clarke captured the low, creaky vibration at the end of her sentences, a hallmark of modern West Coast socialites.
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Up-talking: She delivered her statements with a rising inflection, making every sentence sound like a question.
“She’s like this whole situation!” Clarke told Fallon in character, sending the host into a fit of laughter. Fallon remarked that her commitment was so strong it made his “brain short-circuit.”
A 2025 Vocal Chameleon
This wasn’t the only time Clarke showcased her vocal dexterity. In a 2021 visit to the show that remains a fan favorite in 2025, she participated in a musical challenge where she recited the lyrics to Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u” using a medley of accents—ranging from a gritty New York “Go Mets!” persona to a Russian and a thick Irish brogue (complete with a prop can of Guinness).
| Accent Performed | Character Archetype | Notable Phrase/Action |
| Valley Girl | West Coast Socialite | “Like, literally, this situation.” |
| New Yorker | Gritty Sports Fan | “Go Mets! You frickin’ moron.” |
| Irish | Dublin Local | Cracking open a can of Guinness. |
| Italian | Dramatic Diva | Operatic hand gestures. |
The Training of a Queen
Her ability to “swap” her voice is a testament to her rigorous training at Drama Centre London. Whether she is portraying the quirky Lou Clark in Me Before You or the fierce Mother of Dragons, Clarke’s ear for phonetics has allowed her to bypass the “English actress” label and become a true chameleon. As Fallon noted, if she ever tired of dragons and daggers, she could easily find a second career as a professional Californian.