Now I’m not saying the rest of the year is not going to have great moments, but I am saying that May 25^th is most probably going to be the highlight of 2018 for millions of people. If you enjoy being transported to a galaxy far, far away, then you will agree with me. This is because the much-anticipated Star Wars spin-off, Solo: A Star Wars Story, will be released in theatres.

The film will have a few familiar faces as part of the leading cast and one of those faces is 31-year-old Emilia Clarke’s, as she will be portraying Qi’Ra. The English beauty has arguably gotten back-to-back “roles of a lifetime”. In 2011, she got her big break by landing one of television’s most iconic roles in Game of Thrones (GoT) as Daenerys Targaryen, and now fans will be seeing her as one of Solo’s old friends and love interest in this Star Wars prequel.

Speaking of fans, one can say that of all the successful film franchises, Star Wars probably has the most dedicated fans. I mean, they come out in their numbers for every film release, there’s the merchandising, don’t get me started on Comic-Con... These dedicated fans can also be very openly critical of who gets cast in the franchise so it would be interesting to note their thoughts on Emilia’s portrayal as Qi’Ra once they’ve seen the movie.

Whether she is loved or not, you can’t take away the fact that she’s having an incredible career. Landing big roles on the small and big screen is something that most actors dream about. Who is this Emilia girl and how on earth has she managed to do it? We bring you 25 pics of Emilia Clarke that show her incredible evolution from GoT to Star Wars.

25. Before She Was Daenerys, She Was Working 3 - 6 Jobs

We’ve all heard how some of our favorite actors have had to struggle to make it in Hollywood. Some spend a lifetime chasing their Hollywood dreams. A few achieve those dreams while many don’t. This seems fair since we all have to pay our dues to make it in whatever profession we’re in (Unless you’re part of the lucky few who never have to worry about rent, health insurance, grocery bills – you know, normal people problems).

Well, I guess the same applied to Emilia Clarke. The English beauty revealed that she had up to 6 jobs at one point while waiting for her “big break”. Did you know that right before getting her GoT role, she was a call center agent? If that doesn’t make you believe that dreams come true, I don’t know what else can. The actress revealed to Flare that in addition to being a call center agent, she was a waitress (of course) and a bartender, while also regularly going to auditions, hoping to change her life around.

Well, the day came when her life would change around forever. After her audition for her current GoT role, she was told that she got the part. She was ecstatic and immediately left her call center job. “I was like, ‘Bye-bye, call center’”.

24. Then She Got GoT

And then came the role that changed her life forever. Emilia is part of the lucky few who didn’t have to wait long for her star to shine. She told Flare that even though she was an unemployed actor with multiple jobs to pay the bills, she can’t complain much because she soon got her big break. “I had only just come out of drama school one year before this happened.”

And by “this”, she only means HBO's hit tv series Game of Thrones! Very few people in the world have not heard of the series. Since its premiere in 2011, fans have been raving about the series. Her character on GoT is arguably one of the most fascinating characters in the series. I mean, who else steps into a blazing hot fire with 3 eggs and then steps out with those eggs having turned into fire-breathing dragons? And then acts like it’s just any other regular day of the week? Daenerys is as iconic as they come and will definitely be one of the many missed characters when the series comes to an end soon.

She currently finds herself preparing for the end of the character and series as they are shooting the last season. This means that very soon, it will bye-bye to the mother of dragons.

23. She Is More Than Just The "Mother Of Dragons"

Even though she is the “mother of dragons”, Daenerys is much more than that. One can argue that her character represents a female strength that exists in real society today and this strength is what many young women can look up to.

This strength is what has given many women the courage to rise up and put their careers on the line in the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements that rocked Hollywood from last year. Hopefully, these movements have infiltrated much more than just Hollywood but the corporate sectors and every other industry as well.

I always find it interesting when I hear speakers saying that “women need to find their voice” because I often think to myself – We already have a voice. We just need to be heard. And part of having the courage to using this voice is also recognizing and understanding how powerful it is.

Emilia knows this about her character as she explained to Rolling Stone. “Women have been great rulers. And then for that to be a character that I’m known to play? That’s so...lucky.” Having a female character who represents beauty, strength, courage and so much more has changed the game for tv.

22. Esquire's Most Beautiful Woman Alive

In 2015, Esquire made it official by naming her one of the most beautiful woman alive. Besides the fact that the woman is obviously drop dead gorgeous, I would like to think that there’s something more to her appeal. It must have something to do with how she can play almost any role convincingly with what appears to be ease.

One moment she is queen of the dragons, stepping into a fire, the next she’s vulnerable, then she’s tough and determined. These traits are present in her character on GoT and after playing her for so many years, must have rubbed off on her…or maybe she had these traits in the beginning and lend them to Danaerys.

It is also refreshing that she recognizes and speaks comfortably about her appeal. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the “Thank You. But if you only knew how I look like in the morning” speech. Emilia owns it and that’s clearly evident in the photoshoot when she was given her title.

21. Men Loved Her...Well, They Still Do

Uhm, just look at the girl…plus she slays dragons. Of course men are crazy about her. Her co-star from GoT, Tamer Hassen, revealed to OK! Magazine that the men on set were infatuated with her when she joined the cast. “There would be ten guys around her but she’d be holding court and have us all lapping up her every word”.

She doesn’t just drive her co-stars crazy but I’m sure many regular guys as well. I mean, she was voted most Beautiful Woman Alive not so long ago…But maybe there’s something more to it. Maybe men just can’t help being attracted to his beauty. I mean, of course, just one look at her and anyone can understand why she’s regarded beautiful but what I mean is – maybe science can paint a clearer picture as to why she is so appealing to everyone.

According to science, her face and bone structure hit all the “she’s hot” points for men. Livescience.com explains that “Men tend to be attracted to two kinds of women: high-testosterone women who tend to be taller, have a stronger jaw, a higher forehead and they're also very attracted to the high-estrogen type: the puffy lips and very turned up nose and large eyes in relation to the face. Clarke, with her pouty lips and high cheekbones, combines traits that men from across the spectrum find attractive.” Well, that clears things up then – in case you were wondering why men like her so much.

20. This Includes Hollywood's Men

Brad Pitt is the fancy of many women around the world. The guy is middle-aged and still looks amazing. He is still part of the “perfect bachelor” category if you ask me…minus the 6 kids of course. Well, the handsome actor might have fancied some time with Emilia and was prepared to pay big bucks for it.

Emilia revealed to vanityfair that he gave her the “best night of her life”. After reading that, I know I’m not the only one who was feeling a little jealous. It turns out, Brad was bidding for a date with the actress at a charity auction. He ultimately lost out to a higher bidder who paid $160,000. This charity auction was earlier this year in January and was hosted by Sean Penn and aimed at benefiting the Haitian community which got rocked by an earthquake in 2010.

Outside of the auction and almost getting a date with Hollywood’s finest, Emilia has also been linked to quite a number of famous faces. She’s dated Seth McFarlane and Jai Courtney, whom she met on the set of Terminator Genisys. She’s also been linked to James Franco, Jared Leto, and Corey Michael Smith. She’s reportedly single at the moment but the girl is a beauty that a guy paid over $100,000 to go on a date with. She won’t stay single for long.

19. Women Like Her As Well

I know for a fact that I can't be the only one girl-crushing on Emilia. It must have something to do with not only her beauty but also what she represents. I reckon that the character she plays on GoT has a lot to do with how we perceive Emilia as a person. The character she plays on GoT is so iconic and has given strength to so many women.

Daenerys has shown women (and men) everywhere that we are not damsels in distress that need to be rescued. In a world where too many men to count were falling to their deaths, Daenerys has shown that women are not helpless and they do not need to be rescued because they can do it themselves. They can be their own superheroes in battle. They can conquer nations. They can lead armies. What’s not to love about that? And this fierce Daenerys that every woman can look up to regarding what she represents has a face – the face of Emilia Clarke.

To add further on why women love her, as cheesy as this may sound, she also seems like a pretty “cool chick”. She’s shown in different interviews that she is not too concerned about her obvious beauty.

18. She Quickly Learned To Work The Red Carpet

The red carpet is where our love for our favorite small and big screen characters extends from screen to real life. Whether celebrities like it or not, we want to see them looking their best. I get so frustrated when I see celebrities like Kristen Steward on red carpets looking like they’re not happy to be there. I know this is not about Kristen but if any celebrity is reading this and you have her tendencies…please stop it. We’re your fans. We love you on screen and look forward to seeing you work a red carpet. Go all out – hair, nails, makeup, shoes and of course the dress. Help us live vicariously through you!

Well, one celebrity no one needs to convince about the importance of working a red carpet is Emilia Clarke. The girl always brings it. Besides the fashion aspect (which of course is oh so important), she looks like she’s having a good time (unlike other people – aka Kristen Steward). At the 2018 Cannes Film Festival red carpet event for Solo: A Star Wars Story, the actress was beaming. Not sure if it was because she loves the movie so much or she loved her dress or maybe she was just having a really good day…whatever the reason, I know I’m not the only one who appreciates seeing her buoyant smile.

17. She Brought It At The Met Gala

Now I believe that this one deserves its own point on the list because this 2018 Met Gala look deserves it. The stars generally brought it to this year’s event. Normally, there’ll be a few hits and misses. The interpretation of the theme also sometimes plays a major role in the hitting and missing aspect but most of the stars looked amazing this year.

According to social media, Emilia probably had one of the best looks of the night as many of the GoT fans were in awe of her. @JonxDanny wrote, “Daenerys Targaryen on her coronation day”. @DanyUnburnt wrote, “Daenerys Targaryen winning the Iron Throne and Met Gala 2018 at the same time”. @shxrlocked wrote, "Daenerys Targaryen walking in for her coronation after defeating the white walkers ready to sit in the iron throne, #MetHeavenlyBodies."

Emilia wore this Dolce and Gabbana stunning look and honestly, I think the fact that she plays a queen on GoT helped her be able to carry this look. The floor-sweeping black and gold gown embodied the theme of the night which was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. She finished the look off with bubblegum pink blush and a crown (because she’s a queen, remember).

16. She Is Perfect For The Camera

Okay, so we’ve already covered how beautiful the girl is but I just felt like this needed another point on the list because it is amazing how quickly she is able to turn on the charm. Plus, I also reckon that all the male fans of Solo: A Star Wars Story will be looking forward to having her grace the big screen for this very reason. Yes, fans will be more concerned about discovering and having a more in-depth introduction to Han Solo since the prequel will be focused on his journey but come on, Emilia will add a little bit of spice to the cast.

The girl is loved by so many GoT fans and I’m pretty sure that the reason behind that is not solely because of her great acting. What seems to be another popular thing with her is that she plays characters who are as tough as a rock (I mean, she ate a freaking heart people! How much more badass can someone get?) and she also manages to be vulnerable, assertive, gentle and ruthless when she needs to be. She brings so much to each acting role and critics have noticed.

16. The Nominations Keep Coming In

I’m sure every Star Wars fan who’s reading this wants to know that the actress is more than just a pretty face. I mean, fans all over the world will be spending their hard earned money on tickets to see the movie soon and although pretty is “nice”, it’s just not enough. Fans need to know that the woman can carry whatever role she’s given authentically. Well, I assure you, earthlings, the woman knows how to act. Just ask her GoT fans or fans from any other of the many roles she’s played since.

If you want something more concrete than a super fan’s opinion, how about an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series For playing Daenerys Targaryen in 2013, 2015 and 2016? Or how about a Critics Choice TV Awards Nomination for the same role in 2013 and 2016? The SAG Awards also recognized her and her fellow GoT cast members by giving them an Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nomination in 2012, as well as 2014 – 2018.

They’ve been plenty of other nominations: From the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films USA Awards, to the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, and the Critics Choice Television Awards. The girl can act.

14. She's Won A Few Awards

Like I said before, the girl can act and she not only has the nominations as recognition from her peers and critics, she’s got a couple of wins as well.

She was honored with a Gracie Award in 2012 for Outstanding Female Rising Star in a Drama Series or Special. If you’re wondering what a Gracie Award is – the awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women. She also received an Online Film & Television Association Award in 2013 for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Emilia has a number of other awards under her acting belt including; A Scream Award in 2011 for Best Breakout Performance by a Female Actor and the SFX Awards gave her recognition of Best Actress in 2013.

Her GoT role was her first major role. The fact that the young actress has been able to get so many nominations and wins when she hasn’t even been acting for that long is telling of how much talent the English beauty has. I’m sure that this is the same talent that she will bring on the big screen soon on Solo: A Star Was Story and one can’t help but feel excited about the quality of acting she will be bringing.

13. Broadway Came Knocking And She Couldn't Resist

Emilia Clarke doesn’t just love the small or big screen. She’s also made an appearance on Broadway and has loved the experience. She made her debut in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a role very different from her mother of dragons role fans have come to love her for. She played the iconic Holly Golightly in Truman Capote’s novella and loved every minute of it.

She expressed her excitement about the role to broadway.com. “Getting the call telling me that this was a possibility, I was freaking out because it was my birthday, Christmas, everything rolled into one. It was the most exciting prospect. Audrey Hepburn was an icon of mine from a very young age and I love, love, love New York, especially in the ‘40s. And then Truman Capote’s novella came into my life, and it was like cherry on the cake. It was never even a question in my mind to take this role”.

It is always refreshing to see an actor enjoy being on screen just as much as the stage. It kind of tells us that she is invested in telling stories through her craft, regardless of whether she gets fame and popularity for it. Perhaps this might make her an excellent addition to the Star Wars franchise as it tells us that she is there to tell the story, which of course, is what matters most to the fans.

12. She Had Special Weapons Training To Play Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys

Any true Terminator fan knows that John Connor or the Terminator are not the only loved characters of the movie franchise. Sarah Connor brings so much to the franchise. For starters, she brought John Connor into the world! And if anyone remembers how she managed to get herself out of that mental institution in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, then you know that Ms. Connor is probably is badass as they come.

Emilia seems to be very attracted to playing strong female characters. What is also appealing is how effortlessly she manages to do so – she swapped her blonde Daenerys wig for her brunet locks. A considerable difference between her famous GoT role of Daenerys and Terminator’s Sarah Connor is how different the women are. Although they exude female strength, they do so differently. The mother of dragons is an almost gentle force of strength who commands her army while Sarah gets right in the middle of all the chaos – weapons blazing.

She received special weapons training for the role from Michelle Cannon, a former police officer. “I had the opportunity to work one on one with Emilia for three weeks at a private shooting range in Los Angeles. Drills included weapon hand-off procedure, four-point draw from the holster, malfunctions, multiple target engagement, shooting on the move, magazine changes and reloads all with live ammunition.” If you ever bump into the actress, don’t be fooled by her cheerful personality. The woman is not to be messed with.

11. She Decided To Turn Down 50 Shades of Grey

Now that we’ve come to know Dakota Johnson as playing the woman who drives Christian Grey crazy, it is difficult to think that anyone else would have been better suited for the role. Well, it turns out, the Director and Producers of the films had another actress in mind. Emilia was once offered the role of Anastacia Steele but decided to turn it down.

Even though we know that she can certainly handle a nude scene as we’ve seen her do so in her GoT role, it turns out that the actress turned the role down precisely because of the nudity she would have to do as Anastacia. “I really wanted to work with (director) Sam Taylor-Johnson because she’s f**king amazing, but there is a huge amount of nudity in the film”. She further explained to Marie Claire about her reservations of taking on this character. “I’ll never say ‘I’m never doing nudity’ because I’ve already done it, but I thought I might get stuck in a pigeonhole that I would have struggled to get out of.”

After having a look at the variety of characters she’s played over the years since getting GoT, one can understand that she’s an actress who enjoys challenging herself in different roles. Even though I'm sure she would have killed the Anastacia Steele role, I can respect that she doesn’t want to be type-casted.

10. She's Lost Out On A Few Good Roles

So, besides the fact that she’s having one hell of a career with many highs, the actress has also faced a few low points in her acting career. It’s not that I’m happy the girl didn’t get what she wanted, it’s that life doesn’t always go our way and it’s refreshing to see that celebrities also have career challenges (like the rest of us).

We’ve heard so many of our favorite celebrities tell us how they lost out on a number of gigs which they wanted and it turns out that the GoT girl hasn’t had it all easy just because she’s on one of TV’s favorite shows.

She auditioned for the Sci-Fi flick Ex Machina in 2015 but lost the role to Alicia Vikander. The role was of a humanoid A.I. robot called Ava. She was also keen on possibly joining the Marvel Studios family but things didn’t work out. She tried out for Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Sharon Carter but the role went to Emily VanCamp.

Another big role that Emilia has lost out on is the role of Enchantress in Suicide Squad, which went to Cara Delevingne. I’m sure all of this rejection gave her a little bruise to her ego but her fan base remain crazy about her. I mean, did you hear about how much they loved her name?

9. Inspired A Baby Name Trend

Parents often spend a lot of time trying to figure out the perfect name for their unborn child. Some parents go into the archives by choosing a family name that belonged to an ancestor while others tend to be more adventurous in this department (like Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve naming their child “Jermajesty”. I’ve got two words for that - poor kid). In 2012, Emilia inspired a baby name trend – well, at least her character in GoT did.

The full name of her character in GoT, as she introduces herself is “Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targeryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons.”

Relax, normal people did not name their kids this long title (although I bet someone has either tried to or will try in the near future) but it seems that parents fell in love with one of the names – Khaleesi, to be more specific. According to the Social Security Administration, 146 parents named their daughters Khaleesi in 2012, making it even more popular than “Nadine”. The name was virtually unheard of before GoT.

8. Equal Payment Is Reality For Her

This shouldn’t be a big deal in 2018. I mean, we’re in the 21^st century for goodness sake! If a man and a woman put in the same amount of hours and energy into a job, shouldn’t they reap the same rewards? Well, unfortunately, this is not always the case as statistics say otherwise.

According to data released in 2015 from the Census Bureau, women earned 79.6 cents for every dollar made by a man. In 2016, the Labour Department data showed that women earned around 82 cents for every dollar made by a made. Equal payment has been a topic of much discussion in recent years and unfortunately, it seems to be taking longer than necessary to reach this.

This seems to be the case in Hollywood as well. Did you hear about how Claire Foy was paid less than Matt Smith in The Crown? This is “odd”, considering the fact that she’s the LEAD.

Many other Hollywood actresses are not getting their fair share in their roles. But tough girl Emilia Clarke is not having any of that. She has always had equal payment to her GoT co-stars. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emilia is one of the show’s highest earners alongside Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Lena Headey. That’s great! Now, for the rest of the world to catch on to this century.

7. She's Travelled A Lot

We’re at number 8 now. Firstly, congratulations on reading all this way (Even if I’m sure the pics must have helped a lot, especially number 22. But hey, who am I to judge? Anyway you do it, reading is good for you so well done for getting this far and still continuing on).

Secondly, I’m sure you’ve noticed how this post has been filled with how much Emilia has been busy through the years since she landed her game-changing GoT role. As discussed, she will now be starring as Qi’Ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story, so it is understandable to think that the girl just doesn’t have any spare time to travel and enjoy her hard earned money. Well, you would be mistaken for thinking that because Emilia certainly gets around (pun so not intended).

Between all the tv and movie roles, the auditioning for new roles, as well as film premieres and festivals, magazine shoots and interviews that I’m sure has kept her so busy, she has also been photographed in a number of countries. She seems to be an avid backpacker as she has been to Cambodia, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Laos, to name a few. Perhaps her extensive travels and learning different cultures has brought her a better understanding of different people, which helps her in her acting.

6. She Maintains Good Relationships With Her Co-Stars

Nobody likes a diva (Unless of course, you’re Mariah Carey and have had a career spanning well over 20 years) but you’d be surprised at how some of these “new to the game” A-Listers suddenly forget their humble card on their first big break. Some even give their co-stars a tough time on set because someone whispered in their ears that they are important.

Well, by the looks of her social media accounts, Emilia seems very down to earth and very cool with her GoT co-stars. She’s got multiple pics with a number of her co-stars on the drama series like Kit Harington. Speaking of Kit, the two were once rumored to have been more than just co-stars not only because of the undeniable chemistry that is between their characters but also their closeness in real life. It turns out, they are just really good friends.

Emilia seems like she has a good time with more than just her co-stars. On her Instagram page, she posted a pic of herself and Jimmy Fallon in what looks like ‘70s gear with cheesy grin an all. Well, we’re certainly happy to see that the girl has somehow managed to remain humble through it all.

5. She's faced A Brain Aneurysm

When I first read this, I was in complete shock because the girl is so young. Mayo Clinic describes it as “a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain that balloons and fills with blood”. It is also important to note that ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal to 40% of its victims and that 66% of the patients who survive suffer some sort of permanent neurological deficit. Yikes! That sounds very scary and unfortunately, the young actress has faced this.

She suffered from the aneurysm a few years ago in 2013 when she was just 26 years old. The Enquirer reported that an insider said: “Everyone was so scared for her. She’s so young, and nobody would have ever expected that she could suffer from something so serious.” I’m not sure whether her brain got ruptured or not, since when the story broke, it was still very much a secret of hers but I’m sure I’m not the only one glad to know that the actress seems to have conquered this often fatal life threat.

“Emilia is doing really well now and she should be OK moving forward. No one really knows what caused the aneurysm”, the insider continued. Well, anyone who’s faced a life threat and has come out alive and stronger than ever should definitely be praised.

4. She Keeps A Relatively Low-Key Life

Okay, when I first heard that Emilia does not get recognized while out and about I didn’t believe it at first. I mean, the girl has over 17 million Instagram followers and we all know how big GoT is. How on earth is it possible for Daenerys to not be recognized? Well, it seems that she really does not get recognized in public and she enjoys it.

“I don’t get recognized, truly. I’ll be walking with Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow, or even Gwen (Christie), who plays Brienne or Tarth, and people will be like, ‘Can you take this picture for us?’ And I’m like, ‘Sure! Definitely, I can!’” She told this to Conan O’Brien who looked on in disbelief.

She attributed the fact that she normally has her brunet hair, as opposed to the blonde wig that fans have grown accustomed to seeing her in. She then added: “I’ll be like, Kit, just be one minute, I’m just going to go into the loo,’ and then I’ll hear these girls being like, “Who is that girl that he’s with?’” Well, the Star Wars movie will be out soon and something tells me that this won’t go on for too long.

3. She's Remained Humble Through It All

So I’ve already covered how Emilia was basically an overnight star after landing her first major TV role in GoT as Daenerys – first reason to throw away her humility card. Emilia is also admired by many men, including Hollywood’s famous faces – second reason to throw away her humility card.

Let’s not forget about how Brad Pitt wanted to take the girl on a date and was prepared to pay big bucks for it. He only lost because another man paid over $100, 000 to go on a date with her. World’ most expensive date! – REASON TO LOSE HUMILITY CARD FOR GOOD!

Well, it turns out that Emilia is as humble as they come. This is evident not only in her interviews but on her social media accounts. “The experiment continues. My IQ has stayed around average and my need to be near fire-breathing creatures and uncomfortable seats made of iron has trebled”, she said in an Instagram post. Perhaps the fact that she doesn’t get recognized that much outside of her blonde wig can be one of the reasons. A humble, famous, beautiful, fun girl? Sounds like our type of girl.

2. And Now She's Joined Star Wars

I’ve covered how Emilia says that she is hardly recognized by her GoT fans because she doesn’t have blonde hair like her character and well, maybe that’s all about to change. Star Wars fans across the galaxy are super anxious and excited about the Solo spinoff that will be in theatres on the 25^th of May. Since she’ll have her natural brunet hair, maybe fans will start recognizing her.

Emilia will be acting opposite Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover and has revealed that she has signed multiple contracts which means, that there’s a possibility for a number of sequels to this prequel (The multiple contracts signing is used for most film franchises for insurance purposes).

According to lucasfilms, the movie is said to portray the early years of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian. It will also depict how they were “space-smuggling scoundrels on the rise”. The movie has been showcased at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and according to variety.com, “the movie received a three-minute enthusiastic, albeit abbreviated, standing ovation for director Ron Howard and star Ehrenreich”. The leads were cast in 2016 and had to go through a long auditioning process to make sure that they were perfect for the roles.

1. May The Force Be With Her

One might think that Emilia has played plenty of roles depicting strong and fearless women so this should be a breeze. It is interesting to note though that this was not always the case for Star Wars. Upon my research, I’ve discovered that historically, there haven’t really been a lot of the Star Wars women in the spotlight. For instance, in the original film, Princess Leia is actually the only active female character in the film. Come to think of it, women were only damsels in distress in the olden days and this, no matter how outdated this might sound, it doesn’t come as a surprise.

Well, fast forward to the 21^st century, the franchise offers plenty of complex female characters through the TV Shows, books, comics, and films. Star Wars is also arguably one of the few fictional universes where the female characters are depicted as more than just damsels in distress. A number of the women are strong and heroic. Considering her experience, it will be interesting to note what Emilia will bring to the screen as Qi’Ra. She may not eat a heart or command fire-breathing dragons but I’m sure a lot will happen in space that she will definitely be able to handle because the force is with her.