Emilia Clarke, the actor famed for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, has revealed she sustained a painful injury while filming her latest project. The star, 39, broke a rib during the filming of an intense intimate scene for the new Cold War spy series Ponies.
The Gruelling On-Set Injury
Clarke, who plays undercover CIA widow Bea in the Peacock thriller, described the physically demanding nature of the scene. She told TheWrap that the shoot involved three male co-stars over a period of several hours. "Just keep bringing it – I’m going to sit on this thing, you’re going to bring them in, we’re going to pretend to have sex," she recalled of the director's instructions. "I broke a rib that day."
Her co-star Haley Lu Richardson, known from The White Lotus, confirmed the incident. Richardson noted Clarke's "tiny little sensitive body" and remembered the "parade" of men visiting the makeup trailer afterwards. Clarke later clarified to her doctor that the cause was "Sex! Times three!" explaining the rib hadn't fully broken but had "just popped out a little bit."
Plot and UK Release Details
In Ponies, Clarke's character Bea and Richardson's Twila work as secretaries at the US embassy in 1970s Moscow. After their husbands die mysteriously, they begin working undercover for the CIA, using honey-trap tactics to extract intelligence from high-level KGB agents.
The series is currently airing on Peacock in the US. While no UK release date has been confirmed, it is highly anticipated that the show will become available to British audiences via Sky and NOW, given Peacock's existing distribution partnerships.
A Familiar Yet Challenging Role
Despite her extensive experience with intimate scenes on Game of Thrones, Clarke indicated this particular filming day presented a unique physical challenge. Her revelation highlights the often-unseen physical demands placed on actors during production. The news comes as spy thrillers enjoy a resurgence in popularity, with shows like the BBC's The Night Manager also captivating audiences.
