Why Emilia Clarke Hates The Phrase 'Strong Female Character'

She ain't got no time for that sexist BS.

Courtney Thompson
WhimnMay 18, 20181:03pm

Emilia Clarke is sick of people describing her characters as "strong women". Photo: GettySource:Whimn

Whether as mother of dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, or Sarah Connor in The Terminator franchise, Emilia Clarke has played a number of characters who are powerful, badass people. And she’s no longer taking any crap from journalists who call them “strong female characters” because, of the implicit assumption with such a phrase.

Currently in Cannes promoting her new film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Clarke took a Variety journalist to task during an interview, telling him she’s sick of people using the phrase “strong female character”, and how she especially hates when journalists ask her how it feels to play a “strong woman”.

“I'm gonna tell you how it feels to play a woman. The end. That's it," Clarke said.

"Take the 'strong' out of it. Find another adjective, dammit. I'm just playing women. If it’s not strong, what is it? Are you telling me there’s another option, that there’s a weak option? You think a lead in a movie is going to be a weak woman? It just doesn’t even bear having the conversation.

“So enough already with the strong women, please. Let's just be women."

Emilia as powerful, 'Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones. Photo: HBO


Her remarks highlight the implicit assumption that women are not thought of as inherently strong unlike their male counterparts are, she said “you don't get 'strong men' unless they're, like, physically strong men. So unless I'm packing guns I don't know about, then let's change [it]."

It’s an important note to clarify, given journalistic power in shaping discourse and how we view particular roles. Clarke also provided some alternatives to the questions she hates, such as “'How does it feel to play the female lead in a big blockbuster movie?' Or, 'How does it feel to play someone with power in that position?' The list goes on."

Oath. Here’s hoping we can all get a bit more creative, and start seeing women - all women - as the strong individuals they are.

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