It's difficult to imagine a Game of Thrones without Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen. Over eight seasons, Clarke transformed the exiled, white-haired princess from a frightened young woman into one of the most powerful and complicated characters in fantasy TV. Her performance is so synonymous with Dany that it's surprising to learn she wasn't actually the first actor to play the Westerosi character.

Before Game of Thrones became the cultural phenomenon that dominated TV for most of the 2010s, HBO had to make some major changes to its original pilot episode. The unaired pilot received poor feedback during private screenings for its huge changes to George R. R. Martin's books, confusing storylines, and lackluster visuals. HBO ordered extensive reshoots, but among the biggest of changes was the recasting of Daenerys Targaryen.

Many good TV shows have great first episodes, but a select few manage to hook viewers within minutes.

Tamzin Merchant, who is best known for her work in Pride and Prejudice and Tudors, played the iconic Targaryen in Game of Thrones' original pilot. She was 21 years old when she was cast for the fantasy series in 2009; the unaired episode was never released to the public, but Merchant declined to return to reshoot the pilot, which opened the role to a new round of casting.

There is no single, public explanation for why Merchant was replaced, but former HBO exec Michael Lombardo later suggested her scenes opposite Jason Momoa's Khal Drogo didn't work as intended. Merchant herself has explained that she previously tried to leave the production, having felt like the role wasn't right for her.

Source link