Game Of Thrones fans are helping Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington raise tons of money for charity
There was a lot of noise surrounding the finale of Game of Thrones, but while a certain sect of fans were demanding a reshoot of the whole last season (yikes), another was actually raising money for Emilia Clarke’s charity, SameYou, and folks it’s the feel-good story to come of the final season. On the campaign’s page, the founder, elle_ellaria, wrote that it’s a way to say thank you not only to the cast of GoT, but Emilia Clarke specifically, who “poured her very soul into her character.” In addition to the love for Daenerys, it’s also dedicated to Clarke for her perseverance on the show after her two life-threatening aneurysms she faced through the first few years of the show.
The campaign originated on Reddit, on the /r/freefolk page, which is also the original of the aforementioned petition. In just two weeks, the fundraiser has raised just over $130,000 for Clarke’s charity. SameYou sets out to “increase rehabilitation services” for young adults who’ve suffered brain injuries and strokes and it was launched because of Clarke’s personal relationship to those afflictions. And the IRL Mother of Dragons delightfully lip-sang to “Simply The Best” on the charity’s official Twitter account in celebration of the massive donating efforts.
Previously, Clarke had also taken to Instagram to post a video thank you when the campaign was at roughly $48,000. “Bloody hell, I am one very lucky lady to have such kind, generous, shining spirited fans who are raising money for my charity @sameyouorg,” she wrote in her caption. “I couldn’t think of a more beautiful way to wave goodbye to the mother of dragons than with this step towards making brain injury sufferers feel less alone. YOU ARE MY HEROS. I am the one who should be bending the knee to you.”
Another campaign in a similar spirit was set up to raise money in honor of Kit Harington for Mencap, a charity for which he’s an ambassador. It’s a U.K.-based charity that “works to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers by fighting to change laws, improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities,” BuzzFeed notes. It’s currently raised $54,000.
So, sure,, the end of the series was sad and bittersweet no matter your take on the finale. But giving back to those in need in honor of your fictional and real-life heroes is one of the most noble deeds ever. No dragons, knighthood, or royal blood needed.