‘Game of Thrones’ Actress Emilia Clarke Rocks New Daenerys-Inspired Hairdo
“Mother of dragons meet Emilia. Emilia meet mother of dragons,” the actress wrote
Carli Velocci | September 19, 2017 @ 1:15 PM
Last Updated: September 19, 2017 @ 2:43 PM
“Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke got a new haircut, which is putting fans and show watchers into a speculative frenzy.
On her Instagram, Clarke can be seen rocking a cropped, pale blonde hairdo. The actress is naturally a brunette, so she’s finally one step closer to looking like her character Daenerys Targaryen in real life.
“Mother of dragons meet Emilia. Emilia meet mother of dragons. If you squint just so you might never know,” the actress wrote. “All hail to the magnificence of @kevalexanderhair and @candicebanks74 the genius creators of ‘KHALEESI WIG’ (and not forgetting all the hair on game of thrones for 8 glorious years) for at long last making this magical moment a reality.”
The question now is what that “magical moment” is. Maybe it’s finally Clarke going full pale blonde instead of using the aforementioned Khaleesi wig. Other actors have dyed or changed their hair to match that of their characters (Sophie Turner, for example, is a natural blonde but had been dying her hair red up until this most recent season).
But the length is what’s catching people’s eye.
In the books, Daenerys’ hair often doesn’t survive flames even if the rest of her does. While the show has mostly ignored this, maybe it’s finally moving closer to the books.
Some are speculating that Daenerys might be getting a haircut, meaning the change is symbolic. The length of Clarke’s hair is similar to that of the men in the Targaryen family, such as her brothers Viserys and Rhaegar. That kind of change would mean Daenerys is moving closer to accepting her Targaryen heritage, something she’s struggled with since Season 1.
This could be especially symbolic if you believe in the fan theory that Daenerys wears her hair long and in a braid as a tribute to her late husband Khal Drogo. The Dothraki only cut their hair when they’re defeated in battle and Drogo’s braid, which hung well past his hips before his death, meant he had never been defeated.
The transition could also be practical. The braids and styles that she’s adorned are often masterful, especially this past season, but if you’re about to go into battle with White Walkers, riding on the back of a dragon maybe going hundreds of miles an hour, you might want a more manageable hair style.
If you’re about to hop into battle, you might not want to wait until your right hand is done braiding your hair.
It could also be as simple as Clarke’s hair is this length and the show’s going for more realistic-looking extensions instead of wigs that vary in quality.
We’ll have to wait and see, since the final season of “Game of Thrones” doesn’t have a release date yet. It’s expected sometime in either 2018 or 2019.
'Game of Thrones:' Did You Notice These Characters Were Recast? (Photos)
Now that Season 7 is over, we have a giant "Game of Thrones"-shaped void in our lives. To help ease the loss, here's some "GoT" trivia for you. Did you know there has been a preponderance of popular characters who have been recast over the span of the hit HBO series? Browse through to learn who they are.
HBO
Ser Gregor Clegane
In Season 1, The Hound's older brother was played by Conan Stevens (left). When scheduling conflicts with his role as an Orc in "The Hobbit" arose, Stevens was replaced by Ian Whyte (center) for Season 2, who was playing a White Walker. Icelandic actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (right) took over the part for the remaining seasons.
WikiCommons
Daario Naharis
One of Daenerys' love interests, the leader of the Second Sons, has been played by two actors. Ed Skrein (left), who played Daario in Season 3, told E! News in 2015 he left because of "politics." "It was a wonderful experience, but politics led to us parting ways," Skrein said at the time. Michiel Huisman (right) took over the role for Season 4 and beyond.
WikiCommons
Tommen Baratheon
The young Callum Wharry's (left) first acting role was that of Tommen Baratheon, son of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. He played Tommen in the first two seasons, but by Season 4, Dean Charles-Chapman (right) took over the character. Charles-Chapman previously played the part of Martyn Lannister, Tommen's cousin.
WikiCommons
The Three-Eyed Raven
For the very brief scene in which The Three-Eyed Raven is introduced in Season 4, the mystical character was played by British actor Struan Rodger (left). The role was taken over in Season 6 by Max von Sydow (right) for the meatier scenes in which he takes Bran through time.
Another one of Cersei and Jaime Lannister's children, Myrcella, was recast after a two-season hiatus. In Seasons 1 and 2, Aimee Richardson (left) played the (bastard) princess after being a stand-in. But after Myrcella was sent to Dorne, she didn't reappear until Season 5. Nell Tiger Free (right) then took over the role to play the older Myrcella.
Richard Brake (left) played The Night King in Seasons 4 and 5, before the role was taken over by professional stunt performer Vladimir Furdik (right) from the episode "The Door" onward. In that episode, we see The Night King when he was still human, and the producers said they wanted to give the cold weather character a more distinctive look from the other White Walkers.
From The Mountain to The Night King, these characters have been played by multiple actors
Now that Season 7 is over, we have a giant "Game of Thrones"-shaped void in our lives. To help ease the loss, here's some "GoT" trivia for you. Did you know there has been a preponderance of popular characters who have been recast over the span of the hit HBO series? Browse through to learn who they are.