TV Executive Insults Emilia Clarke In Front Of GoT Fans; Things Don't Go Well

Following its chief executive's description of actor Emilia Clarke as a "short, dumpy girl" during a premiere this week, an Australian television firm has apologised. Before a Tuesday screening of HBO's Game of Thrones spinoff series, House of the Dragon, Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany made the startling remark. Delany was reportedly talking about how he was running late to start watching Game of Thrones, in which Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen.

He reportedly stated about Daenerys, "I was like, 'What's this programme with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?'" The CEO's apparent attempt at humour, however, was met with disapproval by those present. One participant reportedly said that it appeared as though he expected everyone to join in on the laughter, but the audience was undoubtedly taken aback.

TV Executive Insults Emilia Clarke

Travis Johnson, a movie critic who was there at the premiere, agreed. “Yeah, I was there for this and turned to my mate for clarification as I simply didn’t believe someone would say that on the mic,” he tweeted.

On Wednesday, a Foxtel representative attempted to retract Delany's remarks in a statement. According to the statement, which was obtained by The Wrap, the intent was to demonstrate how Emilia Clarke went from being a relatively unknown performer to one of the most recognisable and well-liked actors in both television and film. For him, Games of Thrones was something very different for television in 2011. The Foxtel Group expresses its regrets on Delany's behalf if his comments were misconstrued and offended anyone.

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The HBO fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, which debuts on August 22 in India, does not feature Clarke. The 10-episode drama is 300 years before Game of Thrones and is based on George R. R. Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood. Martin and Ryan J. Condal wrote the prequel series for HBO, and it is based in part on Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood. The House of the Dragon showrunners is Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. The series follows the beginning and conclusion of House Targaryen, the events leading up to and covering the Targaryen war of succession, known as the Dance of the Dragons, and is set two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones.