English actress Emilia Clarke portrayed the role of Daenerys Targaryen for all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, but she wasn’t the first person cast in the part. Fellow English actress Tamzin Merchant was originally cast to play the Mother of Dragons for the HBO series based on the books by George R.R. Martin. Merchant, who perfectly embodied the natural silver-haired queen, only ended up appearing in Game of Thrones’ unaired pilot before her role was recast, leading the way for Clarke to flourish as Daenerys.
Daenerys was the sister of Rhaegar and Viserys Targaryen, the latter of which married her off to Khal Drogo of the Dothraki as a power move. After the death of her husband and brother, Daenerys vowed to take over Westeros. With her three dragons, Daenerys managed to conquer cities, free slaves, and acquire the Unsullied army. During her efforts, she put her sights on the Lannisters and found allies in House Greyjoy and House Tyrell. She ultimately made Tyrion the Hand of the King and aligned with Jon Snow and his supporters for the impending battle in the North. Daenerys remained focused on the fight for the Iron Throne, but it, unfortunately, wound up being her downfall.
Clarke was still a newcomer when she began her Game of Thrones journey in 2011. Fresh off of her graduation from drama school, Clarke took a few minor gigs before acquiring her big break on the HBO series. For nearly a decade, Clarke played Daenerys, which garnered her a number of awards and accolades. For her work and popularity stemming from Game of Thrones, Clarke was cast in Terminator Genisys and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Though Clarke most likely would have found success if it wasn’t for the Game of Thrones, it’s unclear which direction her career would have taken her if the original pilot wasn’t totally scrapped.
Why Daenerys Targaryen Was Recast After The Game Of Thrones Pilot
The initial Game of Thrones pilot was filmed in 2009 but was never made public. HBO was less than enthused with it so they ordered creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to do a complete reshoot. Aside from redoing the script, the network recast roles like Catelyn Stark and Daenerys Targaryen. It wasn’t completely made clear why Merchant left the series and whether it was her decision or that of HBO. Benioff and Weiss, however, have been outspoken about Clarke being the only actress capable of carrying the character for the better part of a decade. It seemed likely that Merchant just wasn’t a fit for Daenerys and it’s possible that she was initially cast over Clarke for the factor of acting experience.
The scrapped Game of Thrones pilot may have given Benioff and Weiss an opportunity to go after the candidate they initially wanted from the beginning. Either way, Merchant found opportunities elsewhere. The Pride & Prejudice vet had a few movie gigs, but primarily focused on TV. She played a lead role in The Tudors for multiple seasons before moving on to Salem and Supergirl. Most recently, Merchant appeared in Carnival Row as Imogen Spurnrose. Clarke, meanwhile, is exploring her career outside of the realm of Westeros for the first time.
Next: What Went Wrong With Game Of Thrones Season 8
