Emilia Clarke, they said. I confess—I worried. Ten years on Game of Thrones is enough to turn anyone funny. Would she still have bone-white hair and eat only raw horse?

Bear in mind that I despise the word bubbly, but my first encounter with Emilia left me with the impression of having just drunk a glass of high-quality champagne rather quickly. Steady on, I thought. First impressions can mislead. The intimacy of a nine-week shoot will reveal all. Especially one that starts—starts, mind you—at 2 a.m.

What was revealed was a woman of mickle might, whose instincts, whetted by years of hard work in environments that were not always safe or healthy, are as finely honed as any I’ve encountered.

She has the courage of a small lion, the stamina of a Welsh pit pony and the soul of a clown.

A powerhouse to watch and an ally to die for.

Thompson, who appears with Clarke in the upcoming movie Last Christmas, is an Oscar-winning actor and writer