Emilia Clarke Suffers On-Set Injury Filming Intense Scenes for New Series

So, if you think filming sex scenes is all glamour and steamy fun, Emilia Clarke has a story for you—and it sounds honestly kind of brutal.

Emilia Clarke, who you probably know from 'Game of Thrones', is now starring in a new Peacock series called 'Ponies'. And while promoting the show, she casually dropped the detail that she injured herself in a way you don’t typically hear about: she pretty much broke a rib while shooting… well, multiple sex scenes.

Yes, You Can Break a Rib Faking Sex on Camera

Here’s how Clarke told it, chatting with The Wrap:

'Three men, in a number of hours. Just keep bringing it—I’m going to sit on this thing, you’re going to bring them in, we’re going to pretend to have sex. I broke a rib that day.'

So, basically: she was scheduled for a marathon of simulated intimacy, and her body said ‘nope.’ Apparently, the injury wasn’t a full snap—more of a rib 'popping out a little bit', according to Clarke herself. Still, not what you want after a long day on a TV set.

Even her co-star Haley Lu Richardson had to admit it: 'She really did. She’s such a tiny little sensitive body, meant she broke a rib.' It’s kind of wild that this even happened, but in case you think she might be exaggerating: her doctor straight-up asked how she managed it, and Clarke’s answer was, quote, 'Sex! Times three!'

What’s Ponies Actually About?

So if you’re wondering what sort of show ends up with this kind of behind-the-scenes drama, here’s the gist of Ponies:

• Clarke plays Bea, a CIA agent in 1977 Moscow during the Cold War.
• Haley Lu Richardson is her partner Twila—the two bond after both their husbands die in sketchy circumstances.
• The mission involves going undercover, seducing a KGB bigwig, and protecting a former Russian asset. Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of onscreen making out (and then some).

Richardson actually witnessed the aftermath of that infamous day: as she was getting her hair and makeup done, the rotation of male actors finished their scenes and came back panting—literally. She laughed about it, but it sounds exhausting for all parties.

Clarke Is Fine (Now), Thanks for Asking

Despite all this, Clarke didn’t call out sick or shut down production—she powered through, finished the season, and says her rib is more or less back to normal. She and Richardson laughed about it in interviews, but it’s a decent reminder: even scenes designed for our entertainment can be a pain—literally.

If any of this makes you more curious about the show, you can actually binge all of Ponies now on Peacock. And if you see Clarke’s character looking a little uncomfortable in those more, um, physical scenes—you’ll know why.