'Game of Thrones' Cast News: Contracts Negotiations - Top Five Get Huge Pay Hikes
The top five cast members of "Game of Thrones" have signed on for a possible seventh season and have received considerable pay hikes.
As a result of the hikes they have become the highest paid actors on TV. Deadline notes that each could be receiving as much as $300,000 per episode.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the story about the big pay hikes for actors Kit Harington (playing the role of Jon Snow), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) and Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) who form the top rung of the cast. Before the extended contracts, the actors were signed on until Season 6. The extension means that the characters they portray could remain as part of the show if it is renewed for a seventh season.
As for the cast that make up the "B" rung, they also received significant pay hikes and have signed on for Season 7. Included in this list are Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark).
"Game of Thrones" is currently shooting its fifth season in Spain and Iceland. Earlier in the year, while its fourth season was underway it was renewed for two more seasons. Show runners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have stated that they plan to end the series with Season 7, and it looks like plans for it have already started with the cast being put in place.
However, extension of contracts does not mean that the characters will last until the end of Season 7. "Game of Thrones" is famous for killing off a number of characters in each season. Last season saw the death of King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance). The upcoming seasons could see the death of more major characters even though their contracts extend until the last season.
