Emilia Clarke’s advice for surviving fame

Entertainment Desk

Emilia Clarke is a fiery TV heroine, red-carpet rock star, and an exemplary candidate for the next 007. But success hasn’t always come easy for the gracious and funny diva, who catapulted to fame as Daenerys Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones and stars in this summer’s swoon-worthy Me Before You.

As is the unfortunate case with many female celebrities on Instagram and Twitter, she’s often the victim of Internet trolling.

“I have a rule, I just don’t Google myself,” Clarke tells the USA TODAY. “I’m on social media, but I don’t look at the stuff that other people tag me in because it just (messes) me up. Like, ‘Oh, I’m hideous and fat,’ but then if I don’t read it, you save yourself from finding any haters out there. If you hate me, I don’t need to know.”

Fortunately, other aspects of stardom have been easier to navigate. For one, she says she doesn’t often get recognised in public, which makes GoT’s ever-growing popularity much less overwhelming.

“I’m really lucky because I don’t look like Daenerys, so I’ve been able to observe the success of the show from afar, which has been really lovely,” Clarke says.

“It’s allowed my family and friends to kind of be like, ‘Oh, OK,’ but not have to deal with me walking down the street and somebody going, ‘Ahhh!’ all the time. That doesn’t happen a bunch. So the adjustments have been really gradual and slow. Obviously, my life has completely transformed, it’s kind of immeasurable, but (it’s nice) being able to do what I love all the time, and have that to help my family and my friends.”

Enjoy anonymity while it lasts, Clarke. We have a hunch that plenty more people will know you after this weekend.