'Game of Thrones' star Emilia Clarke on surviving two brain surgeries: Felt like I cheated death

"Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke, who survived through two brain surgeries while shooting for the globally popular series, says for years, she felt like she had cheated death.

Clarke, who was honoured at Variety's Power of Women London, presented by Lifetime, said the health scare led her to found the charity SameYou in 2019 with her mother.

“For a number of years, I felt that I had cheated death, and it was coming to get me. I truly felt like I had done something wrong, and I shouldn’t be here. I also thought it ruined my ability to act — which some people might agree with,” the actor said during her speech.

The actor first opened up about her health in 2019 and said she was overwhelmed by the response of the people who reached out to her.

"Today we have tens of thousands of survivors in our community saying essentially the same thing: the journey to healing feels like falling off the edge of a cliff without anyone there to catch you.”

The “Game of Thrones” star was honored alongside Emma Corrin, Hannah Waddingham, Suki Waterhouse and Cynthia Erivo.

In past interviews, Clarke spoke about how she went through two life saving brain operations in 2011 and in 2013 to treat aneurysms.

Clarke became a globally renowned actor with her role of dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen.