How Emilia Clarke Took Khaleesi From Alt-Medieval Virgin to Feminist Icon 

Cupro dress with embellished-PVC overlay, suede sandals, all, Calvin Klein. Gold, vermeil, and diamond earring, Lara Melchior. White gold, pink tourmaline, and aquamarine rings; aquamarine, diamond, and beryllium ring; rose gold, green tourmaline, and beryllium ring; all, Delfina Delettrez. Leather belt, What Goes Around Comes Around, $128. Heart safety pin, Ky & Co, $30. Tulle socks, Pan & The Dream.

\'s Daenerys Targaryen, Emilia Clarke has created one of the strongest, most enduring female characters in our pop-culture consciousness. So where does all that fire come from? Joseph Hooper explores this, as well as Clarke\'s stance on motherhood, sex scenes, and life after

in ELLE\'s exclusive interview in the August issue, on newsstands July 18.

Beaded fringe top, feather skirt, both, Prada. Gold earrings, pendant, bangle, all, Elizabeth Locke. Cuff, Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co. Cuff, Gurhan. Bangle, Ippolita. Ring, Lalaounis. Ring, Ariel Gordon. Ring, Anthony Lent. Ring, Mahnaz Collection. Ring, Pomellato. Ring, L.A. Cano. Belt, What Goes Around Comes Around. Heart safety pin, Ky & Co.

: "Oh God, I get sleepless nights over it. \'Oh, you\'re gonna mess it up. It\'s the last season, and it\'s going to go wrong.\' My mates are like, \'It\'s you—you [and Daenerys] are one and the same now. You need to trust your instincts!\' And I\'m like, \' No, I\'ve got to do more research!\' The higher everyone places the mantle, the bigger the fall. That sounds really awful, but it\'s true! I don\'t want to disappoint anyone."

Printed cotton-and-silk-blend dress, Dolce & Gabbana. Diamond and gold earrings, Van Cleef & Arpels. Studded-leather belt, What Goes Around Comes Around.

On shooting her commanding sex scene with Dario (Michiel Huisman) in the fourth season of

cocreators David Benioff and Dan Weiss] and thanked them. I was like, \'That\'s a scene I\'ve been waiting for!\' Because I get a lot of crap for having done nudes scenes and sex scenes. That, in itself, is so antifeminist. Women hating on other women is just the problem. That\'s upsetting, so it\'s kind of wonderful to have a scene where I was like, \'There you go!\'

New Parents George and Amal Clooney Go on Their First Public Date Night

Meghan Markle Makes a Rare Public Appearance to Celebrate a \'Suits\' Milestone

Gigi Hadid Tries the \'Breathless\' Pixie for Stuart Weitzman

Kim Kardashian Just Revealed Blac Chyna\'s NDA, Firmly Aligning Herself with Team Rob

Chrissy Teigen Can\'t Resist a Chance to Make Fun of the Trump Email Debacle

Emma Stone Is Your Low-Key Vacation Goals Muse

A Man Was Arrested for Threatening to Attack Ariana Grande\'s Costa Rica Concert

JAY-Z Shared Some Behind the Scenes Details of His Marriage to Beyoncé

Miley Cyrus Asks the Internet and Liam Hemsworth, \'Why This Photo?\'

The Complete Instagram History of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth\'s Renewed Romance

Cara Delevingne and Emilia Clarke Compete in a Battle of the Brows

Game of Thrones Star Emilia Clarke Gives Jon Snow a \'50/50 Chance\' of Returning

Emilia Clarke Clarifies Those Game of Thrones\' Anti-Sex Scenes Remarks

Emilia Clarke Fires Back at Critics Who Say Game of Thrones Is Sexist

Watch Emilia Clarke Whip Out 5 Accents on Command