Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke is a British actress whose breakthrough was the role of Daenerys Targaryen -- the "Mother of Dragons" -- in the television version of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones. Clarke grew up around the theater, and her first TV jobs were bit parts in the U.K. soap opera Doctors. Then she became a star, thanks to the popularity of Game of Thrones, and to her performance as a naif who becomes en empire builder. The show's success led to her winning the role of Sarah Connor in the 2015 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle Terminator Genisys.