Emilia Clarke Says She Broke a Rib While Filming Intimate Scenes for ‘Ponies’

Emilia Clarke has shared a painful story from the set of her new Peacock series Ponies. While promoting the show, the actress revealed that filming intimate scenes for the role was far more physical than she expected and even led to an injury.

Clarke plays Bea, a widow living in Moscow during the Cold War who goes undercover to seduce powerful KGB figures in order to get information. Speaking to The Wrap, she explained that one long day of filming took a toll on her body. “Three men, in a number of hours,” she said. “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.”

Her co-star Haley Lu Richardson, who plays Twila, confirmed the injury was real. “She really did,” Richardson said. “She’s such a tiny little sensitive body, meant she broke a rib.”

Clarke later joked about having to explain the situation to her doctor. She said the injury came from “s**, times three!” The actress also clarified that it was not a full break. “It didn’t like, fully break,” she explained. “It just popped out a little bit.”

Ponies is a spy thriller set in 1977. The story follows Bea and Twila, two American embassy secretaries in Moscow whose lives change after their husbands die under strange circumstances.

They are then pulled into dangerous CIA missions. The series was created by Susanna Fogel and David Iserson and premiered on Peacock on January 15, 2026. Clarke also serves as an executive producer on the show.

The information about Clarke’s injury comes from her interview with The Wrap, where both she and Richardson spoke openly about the challenges of filming the series.

This story shows how demanding acting can be, especially when roles require physical and emotional commitment. It also highlights how open actors are becoming about what really happens behind the scenes. What do you think about Emilia Clarke’s experience on Ponies? Share your thoughts in the comments.