Game of Thrones stars get huge pay increases

31 October 2014 - 16:15 By Bang Showbiz
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau have agreed new deals to be paid $300,000 per episode of 'Game of Thrones'.

Five of the shows biggest stars - Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - have landed bumper payrises after a series of talks with show producers and in return they have agreed to extend their deals to a seventh season of the fantasy drama.

According to website Deadline, none of the cast members negotiated together and Kit, Lena and Emilia - who play Jon Snow, Cersei Lanister and Daenerys Targaryen - agreed their new contracts first, followed by Peter and Nikolaj, who are known to fans as Cersei's brothers Tyrion and Jaime Lannister.

It is believed the show uses a tiered system for its cast members, with those earning the $300,000 classed as A tier. Also in line for pay rises and contract extensions were B tier actresses Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, who plays sisters Arya and Sansa Stark, and Natalie Dormer, who portrays the ambitious Margaery Tyrell.

Despite committing to a seventh season of the show - which is currently filming the fifth series - there is no guarantee the cast members will be needed for that long as their characters could be killed off at any point. Author George R.R. Martin is known for his gruesome death scenes and has yet to finish the book series which the TV show is based on.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now