Emilia Clarke, a former leading “Game of Thrones” actor, received an apology from the Foxtel Group on behalf of the CEO Patrick Delany, following his insulting comments for the actor at the “House of the Dragon” premiere last Tuesday.
Delany gave a speech at the Sydney premiere before the first episode of the new HBO series was shown, describing Clarke in his remarks as a “short, dumpy girl.” The moment he made remarks about the actor’s looks, it created a serious controversy among GOT and Daenerys Targaryen fans, forcing Foxtel to release an apology.
The Foxtel CEO was talking about his first impressions of Game of Thrones. He said, “I was like, ‘What’s this show with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?'”
As per Delany, the remarks were supposedly made for fun, but many in attendance insist such was not the case. The remarks were not taken lightly and as a joke by the people who attended the event. Viewers were also shocked and cold at the remarks.
The moment it became a controversial topic across the globe, thanks to the global fandom and sensibly sensitive netizens, a spokesperson for the Foxtel Group issued a statement to the Australian electronic magazine, “Crikey,” apologizing for the comments. The spokesperson clarified that the remarks were supposed to be jovial and light-hearted.
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Foxtel Group issued a clarification statement, “The aim was to convey that for him, Games of Thrones was something very different for television in 2011 and that Emilia Clarke went from relatively unknown to one of the most recognized and most-loved actors in television and film.”
The statement further said, “On behalf of Mr. Delany, the Foxtel Group apologizes if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offense.”
Delany has been working for Foxtel as CEO since 2018. He has overseen the launch of services like Binge, Flash, and Kayo. Clarke, on the other hand, appeared in each episode of the HBO series Game of Thrones. She was also nominated for four Emmys in recognition of her great performances as “Daenerys Targaryen.”
Clarke does not appear in House of the Dragon, but the series does focus on Daenerys’s ancestors, Set 200 years before Daenerys’s story in Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon follows the Targaryen war of succession as the fight for the Iron Throne heats up yet again.
The prequels to Game of Thrones have been long overdue. HBO Max debuted the eagerly awaited adaptation of House of the Dragon on Sunday, Aug, 21. If you are interested in watching but cannot due to geo-restrictions, here’s how you can watch House of Dragons on HBO Max outside the USA.
The prequel is related to George R. R. Martin’s book which chronicles the rise and fall of the Targaryen family in the middle ages and their ultimate demise. When Martin watched the rough cut of the series before release, he praised and admired the way “House of the Dragon” screenplay was made and seemed to be content in how it is presented to the audiences watching across the globe.
