Emilia Clarke’s Health Battle Puts Brain Haemorrhages In Focus
Emilia Clarke is speaking openly about the two brain hemorrhages she suffered in her early 20s, a period that overlapped with filming Game of Thrones and making her Broadway debut.
People reported that Clarke, 39, spoke about the experience at Variety’s Power of Women London event on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The actress also co-founded SameYou, a charity focused on mental health support for people recovering from brain injuries.
Clarke said she was 22 when she suffered her first brain hemorrhage, the same age she was while filming the first season of Game of Thrones. She was 24 when she had her second, around the time she made her Broadway debut in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
At the event, Clarke said that for years she felt she had “cheated death.” She also said the injuries left her worried that her ability to act had been damaged.
Clarke admitted that she returned to work within weeks after both brain injuries because she could walk, talk, remember lines, and appear like herself. This may sound reassuring, but it shows how easy it can be to miss what’s happening beneath the surface.
What is a brain hemorrhage?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a brain bleed, also called an intracranial hemorrhage, is a type of stroke that happens when bleeding occurs in the head. Blood can leak or burst from a vessel, pool inside the skull or brain, and create pressure that keeps oxygen and nutrients from reaching brain tissue.
Warning signs can include a sudden severe headache, confusion, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, slurred speech, vision loss, balance problems, seizures, loss of consciousness, or sudden weakness, numbness, tingling, or paralysis, especially on one side of the body.
Johns Hopkins Medicine states that an intracerebral hemorrhage happens when a diseased blood vessel in the brain suddenly bursts, causing blood to leak into the brain. That rapid pressure increase can damage brain cells and may lead to unconsciousness or death.
The quiet damage after the crisis
Clarke said she dismissed serious symptoms, including anxiety, hormonal problems, pain, blackouts after long night shoots, and even broken bones, as stress. That part feels painfully familiar in a culture that tells people that they need to push through.
The Cleveland Clinic highlights that a brain bleed can cause permanent brain damage, and possible complications include memory loss, speech and communication problems, coordination issues, weakness, numbness, vision loss, paralysis, and emotional or personality changes.
Not every effect is easy to see and that makes Clarke’s openness important. She described how brain trauma can shake a person’s trust in themselves, especially when memory, personality, humor, and identity feel tied to the mind.
How brain hemorrhages are treated
Treatment depends on the location, cause, and severity of the bleed. The Cleveland Clinic points out that doctors focus on stopping the bleeding and treating the cause, which may involve surgery, medication, oxygen support, IV fluids or nutrition, and close monitoring in an intensive care unit.
Some cases may require procedures to relieve pressure or address the source of bleeding. Others may not need surgery, depending on the size, cause, location, and the person’s overall health.
Johns Hopkins Medicine describes care for intracerebral hemorrhage as time-sensitive and often involving a team that may include neurologists, neurosurgeons, interventional radiologists, and rehabilitation specialists.
When to call a doctor
Clarke’s message was not that recovery is simple. It was that recovery is possible. As she put it, “recovery to yourself is possible.”
If any symptoms on this page sound familiar, contact your doctor. If symptoms come on suddenly, especially a severe headache, confusion, one-sided weakness, trouble speaking, seizure, or loss of consciousness, call 911 right away.
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