‘Game of Thrones’ star suffers 2 aneurysms while filming hit series

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Emmy-winning actress Emilia Clarke, best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO hit series “Game of Thrones,” says she survived not one but two aneurysms back in her early days of shooting.

In an interview, Clarke says some parts of her brain no longer function as they used to. She now struggles with memory loss. As an actress, she forgets her lines and at times even her own name. 

News 8 spoke with Michele Gliddon, stroke program Manager at Eskenazi Health, about the actress’s condition and why 20% of all aneurysms result in death.

“With her being young and otherwise healthy, I can make an assumption that it runs in her family because there is a strong genetic component to it,” she said. “”The blood vessel actually breaks open. It’s like if you have a water balloon that pops. It kind of goes like that, and if that aneurysm ruptures or pops, the mortality rate does go up significantly.”

For older populations without genetic predispositions, risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, and drug use.