Game of Thrones season 6: Emilia Clarke rebels against 'gratuitous' and 'unsubtle' sex scenes

Clarke plays Daenerys Targaryen and does not want sex 'thrown in her face'

Emilia Clarke might have been seen breastfeeding dragons and emerging completely starkers from a fire, but the Game of Thrones actress has revealed that she "can't stand" sex scenes.

Clarke plays major Iron Throne contender Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO series, which has a reputation for not shying away from explicit moments.

The 28-year-old told showrunners two years ago that she would not be taking part in any more topless shots because she "wanted to be known for her acting, not her breasts", according to co-star Oona Chaplin.

Now, Clarke has once again pushed for sex scenes to be made "more subtle". "I'm British, so I cringe at that sort of thing anyway - I can't stand it," she told the Daily Mail at a Mayfair event. "I don't want to have sex thrown in my face and I've always thought the suggestion is so much more titillating than the act itself.

"Most sex scenes you see in films or on TV are gratuitous and they're usually just to attract an audience. On screen, the subtler the better."

Despite her recent comments, Clarke has defended Thrones against accusations of misogyny by praising its wealth of strong female characters.

"I think that's the beauty of the show: as women, we accept our femininity and take strength from it, as opposed to trying to hide it and behave in a masculine way," she said in April.

Read more: When is Game of Thrones season 6's air date?

Clarke admitted earlier this year that she turned down the lead role as Anastasia Steele in raunchy movie Fifty Shades of Grey because she didn't want to get her kit off.

"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 said, adding that she will "never say never" to nudity but thought she might "get stuck in a pigeonhole" had she accepted the part.

Game of Thrones is expected to return next spring.