Emilia Clarke was called a “short, dumpy girl” by Foxtel CEO, Patrick Delany, ahead of Game of Thrones prequel premiere.
Emilia Clarke was mentioned during Patrick Delany’s speech, ahead of the premiere of Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. Reportedly, this is how the Foxtel CEO referred to the London-hailing actress: “I was like, what’s this show with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?”
Delany was, of course, referring to Emilia Clarke’s character in the acclaimed Game of Thrones series, Daenerys Targaryen. In particular, the Aussie TV company CEO was referencing an iconic scene in season one, where Daenerys walks through fire.
An individual who was present during the speech told Crikey that Patrick was attempting to make a joke about the first time he watched the show. However, it didn’t land well, and “there was a bit of a gasp” from audience members following his statement.
A spokesperson for Foxtel has also informed Crikey that the CEO’s comment was supposed to be “self-deprecating.”
Since the incident occurred, the Foxtel Group has issued a statement of apology on Patrick Delany’s behalf: “The aim was to convey that for him, ‘Games of Thrones’ was something very different for television in 2011 and that Emilia Clarke went from relatively unknown to one of the most recognised and most-loved actors in television and film.” They add, “on behalf of Mr. Delany, the Foxtel Group apologies if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offense.”
