In a speech addressed to the audience before the screening, Delany recalled being late to start watching Game of Thrones, the hit HBO series that inspired House of the Dragon and which starred Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen. “I was like, ‘What’s this show with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?” he said, according to a report from Crikey. Delany’s comment didn’t go over well with the fans in the crowd; two attendees told the publication that the audience was taken aback by the crude words. “It felt like he was expecting us to laugh along, but people in the room were obviously shocked by it,” one of the attendees told the outlet. “There was a bit of a gasp,” the other chimed in. A spokesperson for Foxtel Group later tried doing some damage control, telling Crikey that he intended the comments to be light-hearted. “The aim was to convey that for him, Game of Thrones was something very different for television in 2011 and that Emilia Clarke went from relatively unknown to one of the most recognized and most-loved actors in television and film,” the spokesperson stated. “On behalf of Mr. Delany, the Foxtel Group apologizes if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offense.” Clarke has not yet responded to the offensive comments or the subsequent apology, nor has Delany addressed it for himself. Game of Thrones aired its last episode in 2019 after a wildly successful eight-season run. The prequel series, House of the Dragon, follows the story of the Targaryen civil war, which occurred 200 years before the events that unfolded in Game of Thrones. The new spin-off—which stars Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and more—will begin streaming on HBO Max on August 21. More News: • Bill Nye Dips His Toes Into Horror With New Show ‘The End Is Nye’ • Mount Kilimanjaro Gets Its Own Wi-Fi Network • Why Frances Bean Cobain Didn’t Think She’d Make it to 30
