#ruby o'leary

Dear child, Gyda, you are not gone because you are always in my heart. They say that a man must love his sons more, but a man can be jealous of his sons, and his daughter can always be the light in his life. I know very well that you are with the gods, but I will wait here awhile, and if you want to come and talk to me, then come and talk, and I will gently stroke your long and beautiful hair once again with my peasant hands.

“A young woman in her early teens, Daenerys has the classical Valyrian look; She has violet eyes, pale skin, and long, pale silver-gold hair. Daenerys is slender of frame, with small breasts. She is said to resemble Queen Naerys Targaryen, though Daenerys is taller. Daenerys has been described as fair, and beautiful.” (x)

ELLE FANNING - AURORA (MALEFICENT)

Elle Fanning was 15 while filming Maleficent (and 20 while filming it’s sequel, for what that’s worth). The film has a nice variety of medieval clothes, although generally more in line with Westerosi fashion than with that of the Dothraki or of Slaver’s Bay.

ISABELLE OTTMANN - KLARA SESEMANN (HEIDI)

Isabelle Ottman was 12/13 when filming Heidi in 2015. The film is set in the 19th century, so the clothes aren’t exactly medieval, but there is a long sequence where Klara wears a reasonably nondescript white dress in a rural setting, so I’ve found the film a useful resource for early Daenerys material, including some childhood flashbacks.

FREYA ALLAN - CIRI (THE WITCHER)

At 18, Freya Allan is a bit old for Daenerys, who starts the series at 13, but she has a very young face and unusually pale eyes, which are hard to find in a Daenerys fancast. She also wears a variety of medieval outfits, which makes her a useful resource for a variety of Daenerys content.

FRANCESCA ISHERWOOD - FLAVIA GEMINA (ROMAN MYSTERIES)

Francesca is on the older end for Daenerys (16/17 during filming) and is more yellow-blonde than white-blonde, but the Roman setting of this show means the costume design is much more Mediterranean, which is difficult to find, particularly with blonde actors. I like her for content later in Daenerys’ storyline, when she’s dressed for the climate in Slaver’s Bay.

MEIRA DURAND - MINA (DIE STERNTALER)

Meira Durand, at 10, is too young for ASOIAF Daenerys, but is great for flashbacks and pre-series content. There’s not a ton of content for her, since most usable footage comes from the German fairytale Die Sterntaler, but there are a decent number of stills.

OTHERS

1. OLIVIA TENNET - FREDA (LOTR: THE TWO TOWERS): I’ve used her multiple times as a young Daenerys, primarily because her scenes feature her fleeing with an older brother.

2. KATIE JACKSON - CHILD (LOTR: THE TWO TOWERS): Also Lord of the Rings, also good for a young Daenerys on the run. It’s pretty much just the two or three shots, but I’ve gotten lots of use out of them, so I’m including her.

3. RUBY O’LEARY - GYDA (VIKINGS): I can’t find an age on her, but her character is 14, so that puts her in roughly the proper age range. She tends to be in group shots and background shots, so it’s hard to gif her material, but she’s great for stills.

4. ELIZA BENNETT - ASSORTED: Eliza doesn’t have one particular film that fits very well in terms of costume design, but her face really matches what I think of for Daenerys. Potential resources include Nanny McPhee (age 12), Inkheart (age 15), and From Time to Time (age 16).