Taking on a spy role is never easy — and for Emilia Clarke, it came with an unexpected physical cost. The actor has revealed that she broke a rib while filming demanding undercover scenes for Peacock’s Cold War drama PONIES.
Clarke, a four-time Emmy nominee, plays Bea — a widowed woman operating in 1970s Moscow who seduces high-ranking KGB agents as part of her covert mission. While speaking to The Wrap, Clarke admitted that one particularly intense day on set pushed her body to the limit.
“I Broke a Rib That Day”
Recalling the shoot, Clarke described filming extended intimacy-heavy sequences with multiple co-stars over long hours.
“Three men, in a number of hours,” she said, explaining how physically exhausting the day became. “Just keep bringing it — we’re going to pretend to have sex. I broke a rib that day.”
She later joked that explaining the injury to her doctor wasn’t exactly straightforward, quipping that it happened due to “sex, times three!”
Clarifying the severity, the Game of Thrones alum noted that it wasn’t a full fracture. “It didn’t fully break,” she said. “It just popped out a little bit.”
Co-Star Confirms the Injury Was Real
Clarke’s co-star Haley Lu Richardson, who plays fellow CIA widow Twila, confirmed the incident was no exaggeration.
“She really did,” Richardson said, adding that Clarke’s slight frame made the injury all the more believable. “She’s such a tiny little sensitive body.”
Inside the World of PONIES
Now streaming on Peacock, PONIES is set in 1977 Moscow, where Bea and Twila work as secretaries at the US embassy. After their husbands die under mysterious circumstances, the two women are pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, going undercover as CIA operatives in enemy territory.
The series blends Cold War paranoia, emotional loss, and high-risk spy work — with Clarke’s role demanding both emotional depth and physical endurance.
Final Words
Emilia Clarke breaking a rib on set is a reminder of just how demanding performance-heavy roles can be, even when the danger isn’t coming from explosions or fight scenes. With PONIES, Clarke has once again proven her commitment to her craft — even when it literally hurts.
For viewers, the behind-the-scenes revelation only adds another layer to a series that’s already packed with tension, intrigue, and intensity.
