It’s no secret "Game of Thrones" has nudity, and lots of it.
"Game of Thrones" is a television show that airs on HBO and serves as a visual adaption of the medieval fantasy world of George R.R Martin’s best-selling novel series, otherwise known as "A Song of Ice and Fire." The fantasy drama has gained a massive following and has everything a viewer could ever want: dragons, bloodline drama, epic battles, magic — you name it, and "Game of Thrones" has it.
While it is arguable that the ubiquity of nudity throughout the show is but a parallel to the nature of the world the characters thrive in, one that is cruel and harsh and doesn’t spare its inhabitants any grace or dignity, it’s also undeniable that HBO ensures its entertainment is full of nudity for the sole purpose of viewership.
"Game of Thrones" is not, in any way, the only show that is heavy in nudity. There are several television shows and movies that span over many years and share the same quality. However, every one of these shows share two things in common when it comes to nudity: the gender difference and the purpose.
The majority, if not all, of nude scenes in the entertainment industry feature women. Not only are women typically the main subjects of nudity scenes, but are also usually in full-frontal nude scenes. However, this pattern breaks when men are in the spotlight, for not only are men far less likely to be in nude scenes in the first place, but when they are, male nude scenes are much less revealing.
Therefore, there has always been an apparent discrepancy between the amount of nude scenes women and men are required to be in, and whether intentional or not, this discrepancy results in the projection of women as more vulnerable, exposed and may even evoke less respect.
In addition, nude scenes usually exist for the sole purpose of sexual appeal and have very little to do with the plot. While this isn’t true for all television shows or all nude scenes, displaying a naked woman or man is still predominantly an act of sexual display when used in the entertainment industry.
Up until the most recent season, "Game of Thrones" has definitely fulfilled these stereotypes through its use of nudity. As a result, several actresses such as Lena Heady (Cercie Lannister) and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) opted for body doubles to represent them in nude scenes.
However, in episode four of season six, when Clarke's character, Daenerys, emerged unclothed and unscathed from the flames of the Vaes Dothrak, Clarke performed the scene without a body double, and made a profound statement by doing so.
“I did it [a real nude scene] before and people liked to talk about it, so I just wanted to come out and do an empowered scene that wasn't sexual. It was naked, but it was strong," Clarke said in an interview with Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show."
By choosing her own body over a body double, Clarke sent out a clear message and introduced the idea that nude scenes don’t always have to be about objectifying one’s body — but about empowerment.
Clarke also advocates what she calls “junk equality,” which essentially means that there should be an equal amount and of male and female nudity in the media, specifically in shows like "Game of Thrones" where nudity is recurrent throughout the show.
"I did it. Why can't the boys do it?" Clarke explained to Colbert.
If the playing field is leveled out when it comes to male and female nudity, the concept of sexual nudity could become a more generalized entertainment tool instead of a medium through with females are exposed and oftentimes objectified.
Clarke’s assertions not only revolutionize the way nudity is perceived in the media, but shifts the focus to something much more beneficial and substantial, such as strength and empowerment, which has the potential to fundamentally change the role actors play when required to perform in nude scenes.
Despite whether or not Clarke’s opinion had any influence on the decision, the first full-frontal male nude scene was introduced to "Game of Thrones" when Christopher Eccleston went on for a brief moment in episode five of season six. This could suggest a slight shift in the way the show treats nudity, and could potentially fulfill Clarke’s propositions for the way television should utilize such an entertainment tool, if at all.