Emilia Clarke Sets the Record Straight on Game of Thrones Salary Rumors

In a recent interview, Emilia Clarke addressed the exaggerated rumors surrounding her salary for Game of Thrones, humorously dismissing the figure of $300,000 per episode. While she refrained from revealing her actual earnings, she emphasized the inaccuracies of the circulating numbers. Clarke also reflected on her feelings about not winning an Emmy Award, admitting it had a significant emotional impact on her. The discussion sheds light on pay equity in Hollywood, as she previously stated she received equal pay to her male co-stars. The iconic series, which aired from 2011 to 2019, remains a landmark in television history.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 30, 2026, 05:17 IST

Emilia Clarke Clarifies Salary Speculations

Emilia Clarke has recently tackled persistent rumors about her earnings from the acclaimed series Game of Thrones, where she famously played Daenerys Targaryen. In a new interview with Variety, she described the often-cited figure of $300,000 per episode as 'wildly exaggerated.' Although she chose not to disclose her actual salary, she pointed out that the figures circulating online are incorrect, jokingly adding, 'Can you imagine? I’d have been driving a couple of Porsches!'

While Clarke did not specifically address a 2017 report from Variety that suggested some main cast members were making up to $500,000 per episode in the show's later seasons, she has previously spoken about pay equity on the series. In a 2018 interview, she stated that she received equal pay compared to her male colleagues, saying, 'It was my first job and I was not discriminated against because I was a woman, in my paycheck,' during her appearance at the Cannes Film Festival.

Despite Clarke's dismissal of the inflated salary figures, some details about her co-stars' earnings have surfaced over time. According to Page Six, legal documents from a dispute involving Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and his former manager revealed that Coster-Waldau earned as much as $1.07 million per episode for at least six episodes in the final season. Additionally, Sophie Turner mentioned in a 2019 interview with Harper’s Bazaar that while Kit Harington earned more due to a larger storyline, she was compensated $175,000 per episode.

In her conversation with Variety, Clarke also shared her thoughts on not winning an Emmy Award for her role in Game of Thrones. She confessed, 'I'm embarrassed to admit that not winning an Emmy was a really significant thing,' revealing that she even steered clear of Hollywood parties after the loss. This honest reflection underscores the emotional weight of the recognition she sought for her performance in the series.

Since its debut in 2011, Game of Thrones has emerged as one of the most successful and impactful television series, wrapping up in 2019. The fantasy drama captured the hearts of viewers globally and showcased a remarkable ensemble cast, including Kit Harington, Lena Headey, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, cementing its legacy in television history.