“Game of Thrones’” Emilia Clarke Explains Why She Turned Down Lead Role in “Fifty Shades of Grey” - East Idaho News
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“Game of Thrones’” Emilia Clarke Explains Why She Turned Down Lead Role in “Fifty Shades of Grey”

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gameofthrones15 15?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1427384382788Helen Sloan/HBO(NEW YORK) — Can you imagine Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke as the naive college student Anastasia Steele in the movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey? It almost happened.

The starlet met twice with the film’s director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, but decided to turn the role down.

As for why she said no, Clarke tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I’d done nudity before and was concerned with being labeled for doing it again.” Clarke says she has “no regrets.”

Clarke still has nude scenes on Game of Thrones, which returns to HBO April 12, but not as many as in past seasons. “There are other women who remove items of clothing on our show, so they’ve kind of got my nipple count down now,” she quips.

The hit film’s sequel, Fifty Shades Darker, with Dakota Johnson starring as Steele, is reportedly slated to hit theaters in late 2016 or early 2017.

Meanwhile, Game of Thrones has become the most successful show in HBO’s history. “Never in a million years did I think Game of Thrones was going to take off like it did,” says Clarke. “It’s taken me five years to catch up with it. I’m still not sure I’m there.”


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