Emilia Clarke has revealed she sustained a painful injury while filming intimate scenes for her new espionage drama, 'Ponies'. The actress, best known for her role in Game of Thrones, disclosed that the rigorous filming schedule for the show's steamy sequences led to a cracked rib.
The On-Set Incident That Led to Injury
In a candid interview with The Wrap alongside her co-star Haley Lu Richardson, Clarke described a particularly demanding day of production. She explained that the scene required her to simulate sex with multiple male co-stars over an extended period. "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. I broke a rib that day," Clarke stated.
Richardson, who joined the set later that same day, corroborated the story, noting Clarke's petite frame likely contributed to the mishap. "She really did. She’s such a tiny little sensitive body, meant she broke a rib," Richardson confirmed.
An Honest Visit to the Doctor
Clarke shared the amusingly blunt explanation she gave her medical practitioner when seeking treatment for the injury. She told the doctor it happened during "Sex! Times three!". The actress later clarified the severity of the damage, assuring that it was not a complete fracture. "It didn’t like fully break. It just popped out a little bit," she said, confirming she has since mostly recovered.
Richardson provided a light-hearted anecdote about encountering the three actors after they filmed the scenes, recalling their exhausted state as they entered her makeup trailer.
A New Chapter After 'Game of Thrones'
The new series, which premiered on Peacock in the US on Thursday 16 January 2026, marks a significant departure for Clarke. In 'Ponies', she and Richardson play two women living a dull life in the 1970s Soviet Union married to CIA operatives. Their world is upended when they are suddenly widowed and thrust into the world of espionage.
Clarke recently told The New York Times that the role felt empowering after her long tenure as Daenerys Targaryen. "I felt like they were giving me a voice, which doesn’t always happen," she said. However, she admitted initial hesitation about committing to another major television lead role after the decade-spanning Game of Thrones.
The incident highlights the often physically taxing nature of film and television production, even in scenes that may not appear action-oriented.
