Photo Credit: HBO
Former Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke shuts down “wildly exaggerated” salary rumors. The actress is best known for playing the iconic role of Daenerys Targaryen (Khaleesi) in HBO‘s extremely successful epic fantasy TV series.
What did Emilia Clarke say about her Game of Thrones salary?
Speaking with Variety, Emilia Clarke addressed floating rumors about her pay during the filming of Game of Thrones. While the show’s huge success brought financial security to many of its cast members, Clarke pushed back on “wildly exaggerated” claims that actors were earning close to $300,000 per episode. According to her, it wasn’t the case at all.
Setting the record straight, she revealed, “We didn’t earn that much. Can you imagine? I’d have been driving a couple of Porsches!”
Additionally, she also revealed what it was like being part of such a massive show. “I spent a lot of time trying to understand it,” she said while emphasizing the fame she earned from the series. “And then you realize it’s just a formula: The less you’re on TV, the less famous you are. It comes and it goes.”
Photo Credit: Peacock
In another recent interview, Clarke had expressed her gratitude toward Game of Thrones. Reflecting on the impact the HBO show made on her career, she said, “I think I went through a phase of being like, oh, trying to want to be known for more than just Game of Thrones, but now I’m just like, it was phenomenal.”
Feeling grateful to have worked on the fantasy series, she added, “I’ll probably always be that dragon girl. And maybe that’s okay.”
Clarke was recently seen in 2026’s TV series Ponies, playing the role of Bea. She will next star in Criminal alongside Charlie Hunnam, Luke Evans, Richard Jenkins, Michael Mondo, Adria Arjona, and John Hawkes, among others.
She will also appear in an upcoming horror movie, When Darkness Loves Us. Helmed by James Ashcroft, it also features Marlon Williams, Victoria Pedretti, and Natascha McElhone. The film is set to hit theaters in 2027.
Originally reported by Mintu Kumar Tomar on ComingSoon.net.
