Key Takeaways:
– Emilia Clarke reportedly earned $300k per episode for season 5 and 6 of ‘Game of Thrones', totaling $6M.
– For seasons 7 and 8, Clarke's salary significantly increased to $500k per episode.
– Clarke has not watched the ‘Game of Thrones' spin-off, ‘House of the Dragon', as she finds it “too weird.”
Emilia Clarke's Mighty Earnings Rise in Game of Thrones
Emilia Clarke, who played Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones', might have started her journey with the crew relatively unknown, but as the seasons progressed, so did her earnings. In 2014, when the show was renewed, it was reported that the crew's salaries saw a considerable boost, particularly for Clarke. For seasons 5 and 6, the British actress pocketed a handsome $300K per episode. Given each season had 10 episodes, this escalated her aggregate earnings to a whopping $6M.
Emilia's Paycheck Gets Heftier in Last Two Seasons
However, Clarke's earnings took yet another massive leap for the last two seasons of GOT. Initially, in 2017, rumors floated that ‘Game of Thrones' top cast members were reeling in a staggering $2.6M per episode for seasons 7 and 8. These reports, however, were debunked later. The revelation came that Clarke was actually cashing a weighty $500K per episode. With the final two seasons constituting 13 episodes, this would sum up to a significant increase in her paycheck.
On a lighter note, considering Clarke spoke just three words in season 7's premier episode, “Shall we begin?”, technically, each of these words was worth a fancy $166K! But it's critical to remember that an actor's worth often transcends their dialogue count in an episode. Regardless of the controversy surrounding the season finale, Clarke, along with other actors, delivered standout performances.
Clarke and the Gender Pay Gap Battle
Amid all, Clarke was vocal and proactive in confronting the gender pay gap issue in the industry. Demonstrating women empowerment, she made sure her paycheck for the last seasons was equal to those of her male counterparts.
Why Clarke Is Staying Away from ‘House of the Dragon'
Recently, Clarke shared her viewpoint on ‘House of the Dragon', the acclaimed ‘Game of Thrones' spin-off. Though she expressed joy over the revival of GOT's Intellectual Property (IP), she divulged that she hasn't watched the spin-off yet. Comparing it to attending an unfamiliar school reunion, she remarked it felt “weird” experiencing something she's not directly involved in.
Her co-star Kit Harrington of Jon Snow fame echoed a similar sentiment, showing no current interest in revisiting the GOT universe via the spin-off.
In conclusion, while Clarke's journey from relatively unknown to one of highest paid actresses in the TV industry has been monumental, it's evident she wishes to step away from the GOT universe, if only for a while. Whether fans will ever see her in ‘House of the Dragon' as a cameo remains wishful thinking.
