One iconic actress in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones had to defend herself when her past career was exposed by a German tabloid!

The po*n industry is often filled with actors trying to make a living for themselves. However, several stars were also given better opportunities like the ex-p*rn star who appeared in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones.

A still from Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO Entertainment

Sibel Kekilli, who found worldwide fame with her role as Shae in HBO’s Game of Thrones, once went by the name Dilara. She used to work in X-rated films before she found her breakthrough.

Sibel Kekilli Found a Second Chance With Game of Thrones

Starring in several X-rated films, Sibel Kekilli was a po*n star before her TV role. The German actress stated that there were some decisions in her life that she is not particularly proud of.

Sibel Kekilli as Shae in Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO

Portraying the role of Shae (Tyrion’s lover-turned-betrayer), Kekilli was a prominent character in Game of Thrones. The actress appeared for a whopping 20 episodes, mostly alongside Peter Dinklage in quite a fantastic role.

From her accent to her story, fans thought that Tyrion Lannister had found love again. However, he saw Shae in bed with Tywin Lannister and that was the end of both the characters. The scene was heartbreaking and traumatizing to see but Sibel Kekilli found her breakthrough role.

Before appearing on the iconic show, the actress worked in the adult entertainment industry. Going by the name of Dilara, Kekilli was forced to come clean (via Variety) when a German tabloid exposed her past career.

Let me put it this way. As you know, my background is Turkish. And I’ve made some decisions in my life, I’ve gone down a certain path because maybe I did not have any choice.

She further continued,

And it was traumatic…it’s still traumatizing, it’s painful. And that’s the reason I’m not going to talk about my family.

The report stated that since her past career was exposed, Kekilli had some friction with her family members as well. Despite the traumatic memories and the hurtful feelings, Kekilli is still a proud woman.

Appearing in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, the actress finally found her breakthrough role. Being of Turkish origin, the actress talked about the differences between the cultures and traditions.

Sibel Kekilli is Proud of Herself

When news broke out that Kekilli used to work in the adult entertainment industry, people were shocked. From friction with her family to the Hollywood gossip tabloids talking about her, it was quite overwhelming for her.

Sibel Kekilli in a still from Head-On (2004) | Credits: Ralph Schwingel

However, as the interview further continued, Kekilli opined that to be a free woman, she had to break the cultural norms. Kekilli believed in the ‘lose something to get something’ philosophy.

But I will say this: If you want to be a free woman, with a free will, if you want to live a life of freedom, you have to make a complete break with your culture.

Finding fame from Game of Thrones, she hasn’t looked back ever since as the actress continued to appear in numerous films. Sibel Kekilli has 48 projects to her name with 3 upcoming ones.

The iconic George R.R. Martin show received a rating of 9.2/10 on IMDB and 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Starring Kekilli in a prominent role, the iconic show is available to stream on Max in the U.S.