Which Game of Thrones actors are the richest right now

Game of Thrones actors turned eight seasons into wildly different bank balances. Some cashed in on brief appearances that opened blockbuster doors. Others stayed for the long haul and still found themselves outpaced by franchise deals and endorsement checks. The latest 2026 estimates show exactly how the split played out.

Top earner from minimal screen time

Jason Momoa lands at number one despite only appearing in the first season. His Khal Drogo arc lasted a handful of episodes, yet the role became a calling card for studio offers.

The Aquaman films delivered the real payday. Momoa collected roughly three million plus backend on the first picture, then fifteen million on the sequel. Additional checks arrived from Dune, Fast X, and brand work for his own water and vodka lines.

Third-party trackers currently list his net worth at forty million. That figure sits well above every other Game of Thrones actors tally because the franchise money dwarfed anything the HBO show itself paid.

Full-run veteran with steady prestige

Peter Dinklage ranks second after staying for all eight seasons. His final per-episode rate reached 1.1 million, and cumulative earnings from the series alone topped fifteen million before residuals and endorsements.

Four Emmys and a run of film roles kept his momentum intact. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and several voice gigs added to the total without the explosive spikes that franchise paydays produce.

Current estimates place him at twenty-five million. That number reflects consistent high-end television pay and awards leverage rather than a single tent-pole windfall.

One season, two major franchises

Pedro Pascal’s Red Viper turn lasted only a few episodes, yet it opened doors at Disney and HBO. The Mandalorian and The Last of Us both renewed in 2025, and his Fantastic Four casting adds another high-profile credit.

His reported net worth sits at twenty-two million, though some analysts believe the figure understates current earnings from backend points and streaming renewals.

Like Momoa, Pascal shows how brief exposure on Game of Thrones actors can translate into long-term franchise value when the right projects line up afterward.

Central lead balances salary and brands

Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys arc anchored the show’s global reach. Her final-season rate matched Dinklage and Harington at roughly 1.1 million per episode, but earlier seasons paid far less.

Clarke has addressed salary rumors directly. In a May 2026 Variety interview she dismissed three-hundred-thousand-per-episode claims as exaggerated, noting that early paychecks helped clear her parents’ mortgage.

Endorsements for Clinique, Dolce & Gabbana, and Chaumet now supplement film work and an upcoming Peacock series. Her current net worth holds at twenty million.

Lannister knight with documented rate

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s Jaime Lannister arc spanned the entire run. Public arbitration filings confirm he earned 1.07 million per episode in season eight, plus bonuses tied to six episodes.

Post-show income comes from European thrillers and Danish commercials rather than large U.S. franchises. An upcoming King & Conqueror series adds another steady paycheck.

His net worth sits at sixteen million, a solid mid-tier figure that reflects high final-season pay without the same explosive growth seen from action franchises.

Selective projects after the finale

Kit Harington matched the top per-episode rate in the last seasons, yet his post-Game of Thrones choices stayed measured. Roles in Industry and Eternals, plus stage and voice work, kept income flowing without rapid spikes.

Current estimates place him at fourteen million. The number tracks closely with final-season salary totals and a deliberately paced career path.

Unlike actors who pivoted straight into tent-pole films, Harington’s trajectory shows how selective choices can produce slower but still comfortable growth.

Supporting players and smaller totals

Sophie Turner’s Sansa Stark arc produced an estimated ten million. X-Men roles helped, yet her post-show slate has stayed narrower than the top earners.

Lena Headey’s Cersei work lands around twelve million, aided by voice gigs and selective film appearances rather than long franchise commitments.

Maisie Williams sits near six million. Brand deals and smaller projects keep her visible, but the numbers reflect shorter screen time and fewer high-paying follow-ups.

Salary structure and residual reality

Final-season contracts for core Game of Thrones actors reached seven figures per episode. Those rates applied to roughly six to eight episodes, creating substantial but capped paydays.

Residuals and backend points matter less on a completed series than on ongoing franchises. Actors who landed sequels or renewals outside HBO gained an ongoing revenue stream that HBO residuals alone could not match.

Every listed figure comes from third-party estimates. Actual holdings after taxes, investments, and private ventures remain undisclosed.

Market timing and future leverage

Streaming renewals and superhero slate expansions continue to shape earnings. Momoa and Pascal already sit inside that pipeline, while others weigh stage work, voice roles, or producing credits.

Upcoming projects such as Clarke’s Peacock series and Coster-Waldau’s King & Conqueror will register in the next round of estimates. Those additions could narrow or widen the current gap.

Trajectory ahead

The spread among Game of Thrones actors comes down to timing, role length, and the size of the next deal. Franchise checks outran long-run salaries for some, while steady prestige work and brand partnerships sustained others. The next slate of renewals and releases will decide whether the current order holds or shifts again.