Emilia Clarke rejects Game of Thrones salary claims: 'I'd have been driving a couple of Porsches'

Emilia Clarke has set the record straight about one of the most persistent claims surrounding her time on Game of Thrones, rejecting reports that she earned hundreds of thousands of dollars per episode during the show's run.

Emilia Clarke quashes Game of Thrones salary rumours

In a recent interview with Variety, the actor addressed long-standing speculation about the salaries paid to the HBO fantasy drama's leading cast members. Clarke, who portrayed Daenerys Targaryen from the series' debut in 2011 until its conclusion in 2019, said reports suggesting she received $300,000 per episode significantly overstated her earnings.

"We didn't earn that much," she told Variety. "Can you imagine? I'd have been driving a couple of Porsches."

The comments directly contradict figures that have circulated for years in entertainment industry reporting. In 2014, Deadline reported that Clarke and fellow principal cast members Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau were earning "close to $300,000 an episode." Three years later, the publication reported that the stars had negotiated substantial pay increases and were receiving "north of $500,000 an episode" for the show's final two seasons.

Those final instalments consisted of seven episodes in season seven and six episodes in season eight, making the cast's reported salaries a frequent topic of discussion as Game of Thrones became one of television's most commercially successful productions.

Clarke's remarks offer a rare glimpse into the realities behind the blockbuster series, which transformed many of its cast members into international stars. During her eight-season run, she became one of the programme's most recognisable faces, with Daenerys emerging as one of the defining characters of modern television.

The actor also reflected on her awards journey during the conversation. Despite receiving four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her performance, Clarke never secured a win. She admitted that the 2019 ceremony proved particularly difficult after she lost the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category to Jodie Comer.

According to Clarke, she was "crushed" by the result and chose to skip the traditional post-awards celebrations. She later recalled feeling embarrassed the following morning after the disappointment of the loss.

While Clarke's chapter in Westeros ended with Game of Thrones, the franchise itself continues to expand. The prequel series House of the Dragon remains a major focus for HBO, with its third season scheduled to premiere on 21 June.

Clarke, meanwhile, continues to pursue new roles beyond the fantasy world that made her famous. Among her upcoming projects is the Peacock drama series Ponies, as she continues to build a post-Game of Thrones career while revisiting the legacy of the show that defined a generation of television viewers.