Emilia Clarke Has ''No Regrets'' About Turning Down Fifty Shades of Grey Role: Find Out Why She Passed

Game of Thrones stunner looks gorgeous on the latest cover of The Hollywood Reporter

By Alyssa Toomey Mar 25, 2015 6:21 PMTags
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It's no secret that Game of Thrones stunner Emilia Clarke was a fan favorite to play the role of Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey. 

In fact, she was offered the much-buzzed about role—but turned it down. 

"No regrets," the 28-year-old English beauty tells The Hollywood Reporter's latest issue while looking absolutely breathtaking on the cover. 

Clarke found stardom thanks to the hit HBO series—the network's most successful in history—and has since been expanding her acting resume, putting careful thought into each part she picks. 

PHOTOS: Emilia Clarke's best looks

Universal Pictures and Focus Features

"I'd done nudity before and was concerned with being labeled for doing it again," she says of why she turned down the role in the erotic film. 

She has also previously stripped down on Game of Thrones, although there has been less nudity with her character as of late.  

"There are other women who remove items of clothing on our show, so they've kind of got my nipple count down now," she jokes. 

When it comes to GoT's success, Clarke is still in awe of the show's popularity as she and her castmates prepare for the highly-anticipated season five premiere next month. 

WATCH: Check out these Game of Thrones season five sneak peeks!

HBO

"Never in a million years did I think Game of Thrones was going to take off like it did," Clarke admits. "It's taken me five years to catch up with it. I'm still not sure I'm there."

In terms of her career, Clarke will next be seen on the silver screen in the forthcoming Terminator: Genisys playing screen icon Sarah Connor, and she's also starring in JoJo Moyes' bestseller Me Before You, which starts production in April. 

As for why Clarke was perfect for the part in the Terminator reboot? 

"She'll be in a scene sobbing and as soon as you say, 'cut,' she'll turn back to the crew and finish the joke she was telling before she started," director Alan Taylor says, crediting the beauty's British training. "She can step into and out of it in a way that some American actors can't."

Game of Thrones season five premieres on April 12 while Terminator: Genisys hits theaters on July 1.