‘Ponies’ Star Emilia Clarke Gets Refreshingly Honest About Turning 40 in Stunning Marie Claire UK Cover Shoot

Long before the world knew her as the Mother of Dragons, Emilia Clarke was simply a young actress who had fallen in love with performing as a child. Her first screen role came in 2009 with an episode of ‘Doctors’, and ‘Game of Thrones’ soon turned her into a global star, followed by turns as Sarah Connor in ‘Terminator Genisys’ and a spot in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’.

She’s also no stranger to glossy magazine covers. Back in 2015, she fronted the July issue of Marie Claire UK in a shoot photographed by David Roemer, talking about her action-heavy role in ‘Terminator Genisys’.

More than a decade later, the actress is back on the newsstand. Clarke stars on the cover of Marie Claire UK’s Anti-Maxxing Issue, which focuses on slow living, easy styling and bringing more fun into everyday life. The photos were taken by Juan KR and styled by Maria Barsoum, with the interview written by film critic Anna Smith.

The images show off her cropped blonde bob in a series of polished but relaxed looks. Clarke wears pieces from Erdem, Prada, Gabriela Hearst, Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, while the cover features a Victoria Beckham coat paired with Chanel jewellery.

The interview took place a couple of weeks after the London shoot, as Clarke was battling post-Emmys jetlag on the eve of a milestone birthday. She opened with a hilariously candid account of her Emmys night, which included a heel tearing her dress hem, a publicist rushing in with a safety pin, and a last-minute plea to Elle Fanning for help.

Emilia Clarke photographed by Juan KR for Marie Claire Magazine UK. 📷 https://t.co/R1sYWMB5ji

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Humour, it turns out, is her guiding philosophy. Clarke told Marie Claire UK that her goal for the next decade of her life is “to take it lightly,” though she admitted it takes real strength to find things funny.

That outlook was hard-won. Clarke suffered the first of 2 life-threatening brain hemorrhages in 2011, shortly after filming the first season of ‘Game of Thrones’, and a second in 2013, followed by the loss of her father. She now believes she spent a decade in shock, and says the experience left her with a greater sense of empathy for others.

The star has also become far more selective about her work. She explained that her first decade in the industry, ‘Game of Thrones’ aside, was largely about agreeing to everything because she didn’t realize she could decline, whereas now she prioritizes working with people she genuinely enjoys.

Emilia Clarke stuns for Marie Claire Magazine. https://t.co/j7F57ifIVg

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Next up is a major theatre moment. Clarke will make her National Theatre debut in David Hare’s ‘Plenty’, which begins performances in the Lyttelton Theatre in spring 2027 under the direction of Richard Eyre.

The play follows ex-secret agent Susan Traherne and examines post-war disillusionment, arriving ahead of its 50th anniversary. It won’t be her first time on a London stage. Clarke made her West End debut as Nina in a 2022 modern staging of ‘The Seagull’, directed by Jamie Lloyd.

Emilia Clarke photographed for Marie Claire UK. https://t.co/4dgs8DVQSi

— Emilia Clarke Network (@eclarkenetwork) October 9, 2026

On screen, Clarke leads ‘Next Life’, a romantic drama from writer-director Drake Doremus set against London’s modern jazz scene. She plays Ivy, a woman whose life splits into 2 parallel paths, with Edgar Ramírez and Jack Farthing co-starring, and she also served as a producer.

The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival, where Awards Radar called Clarke the standout of the cast. Clarke told the magazine that filming in London at Christmas was one of the happiest periods of her life, adding that her own past as a jazz singer drew her to the role.

Beyond her film and stage work, she keeps social media at arm’s length, revealing that she avoids Instagram almost entirely because it quickly makes her miserable. She has also starred in the spy series ‘Ponies’, proving her range stretches well beyond fantasy epics.

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