Game Of Thrones Nude Scenes Created A Problem For Nathalie Emmanuel

Everyone who has even a passing familiarity with "Game of Thrones" knows that the series featured a ton of nudity, to the point where the term "sexposition" was created in reference to the HBO fantasy series' bare-it-all approach. So did the stars of "Game of Thrones" carry a sort of legacy with them about the fact that they got naked on the pop culture juggernaut? According to Nathalie Emmanuel, the answer is yes — sort of.

In a 2021 episode of the podcast "Make it Reign with Josh Smith," Emmanuel — who appeared as Missandei on the series from Season 3 until the eighth and final installment — said that her (relatively brief) nude scenes gave her a sort of reputation. "When I did 'Game of Thrones,' I agreed toward certain nude scenes or nudity within the show," Emmanuel told Smith. "And the perception from other projects, when the role required nudity, that I was just open to do anything because I did it on that one show."

Not only that, but Emmanuel said that she's had to push back against people over how much she's supposed to show on-screen. "I've had people challenge me and be like, 'But this part requires that,' and I said, 'That's fine if you require that in the part; I don't feel comfortable doing that level of nudity," she revealed. "I will do this amount, you know, I can do this, which I think is necessary for the part.'"

Not only did Nathalie Emmanuel tell Josh Smith that she often feels as if she's expected to do scenes fully nude simply because Missandei was often nude on "Game of Thrones," but she said that sometimes on set, she has to fully discuss what she's willing to do with the creative team.

As Emmanuel put it, sometimes she has to be pretty firm with directors if they want to push her beyond her personal boundaries as a performer, and revealed what she typically says to Smith: "'Well, thank you very much, I appreciate your interest but that's just not what I feel is necessary for this part and it's a difference of opinion and creative differences and that's fine,'" she said, mimicking something she has apparently said on set before.

Happily, though, Emmanuel clarified that most of the time they're able to come to an agreement without a ton of drama. "Nine times out of 10, people are much more solutions-based and want to come to a compromise," the actress revealed. So why exactly did Emmanuel end up disrobing as Missandei on "Game of Thrones," and what has she been doing since the series ended?

As we mentioned, very few actors escaped "Game of Thrones" without stripping down, but Nathalie Emmanuel's character Missandei didn't have to endure that many nude scenes when all was said and done. Introduced in the show's third season as a slave to Kraznys mo Nakloz (Dan Hildebrand), an evil slave trader in the city of Astapor. As Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), her Dothraki army, and her three teenage dragons prepare to storm Westeros and take the Iron Throne, Daenerys makes a deal with Kraznys to buy his massive army of super-obedient, deeply hardened Unsullied soldiers as well as Missandei ... ultimately tricking the greedy man when she kills him with dragonfire.

Daenerys offers freedom to the Unsullied and Missandei, but they all stay with her, and Missandei ends up becoming the dragon queen's closest friend and most trusted advisor. Along the way, Missandei catches the attention of the Unsullied leader Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson, now starring on "Interview with the Vampire"), and the two share an incredibly tender scene where they sleep together in Season 7. 

In the end, Missandei ends up a casualty of both the massive war and the final season's sloppy writing — and gets her head chopped off by Daenerys' enemies shortly before the show ends. It's a frustrating ending for Missandei and Emmanuel both, but luckily, the actress moved on to some exciting projects after "Game of Thrones."

Luckily for Nathalie Emmanuel, she joined another massive franchise during her run on "Game of Thrones" — the "Fast & Furious" franchise, specifically. Emmanuel first appeared in 2015's "Furious 7" as computer hacker Ramsey who helps the main crew recover her software, God's Eye, a tracker that can be used to search for specific people (and can be used for nefarious purposes). Emmanuel reprised her role as Ramsay in 2017's "The Fate of the Furious," 2021's "F9," and 2023's "Fast X," and since her character doesn't die in "Fast X," we can't rule out that she'll pop up again.

On the big screen, Emmanuel has also appeared in films like "The Invitation" and "The Killer," and after "Game of Thrones" came to a close in 2019, she led the Hulu original miniseries "Four Weddings and a Funeral" that same year. As Maya Jones, who moves from the United States back home to London to be closer to her college friends, Emmanuel brings the main ensemble — which also features Rebecca Rittenhouse ("The Mindy Project"), John Reynolds ("Search Party"), and Brandon Mychal Smith ("You're the Worst") — together beautifully, but unfortunately, it only ran for one season. Since then, Emmanuel has lent her voice to projects like "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance," and since 2020, she has appeared on "Die Hart."

"Game of Thrones" — including all of its nude scenes — is streaming on Max now.