Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke is Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive

Emilia Clarke has been hailed as the Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire magazine.

The actress - who follows in the footsteps of Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz - proved just why she earned herself the accolade as she stripped off for a magazine shoot.

Accompanying the images of Clarke in black lingerie and wrapped in a sheet, a message reads: "She manages to bring together a number of opposites, to make them natural: sweetness and toughness, emotionalism with a kind of cold-blooded determination.

"Something in these contrasts explains her sex appeal, too. She can play queen and kid sister, dominatrix and pal."

In the accompanying interview the 28-year-old actress opened up about auditioning for the role of her Game of Thrones character Khaleesi – a role she learned of through Wikipedia research.

“My agent told the casting director, 'I know that the breakdown for this character is tall and willowy and blonde. I know she's short and round and brown, but I'd like you to see her,'” she said.

“I had two scenes which told me nothing and not very much time in which to read all those [George R. R. Martin] books. So, I did what every good actor does and Wikipedia'd the living c**p out of it."

Clarke also opened up about the scene in which her character is raped by Khal Drogo.

"Once, I had to take a little time out,” she said. “I said I needed a cup of tea, had a bit of a cry, and was ready for the next scene."