Television Actors Who Have Earned $1 Million Or More Per Episode

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Television is one of the most widely used types of entertainment, which has, through the years, developed into a venue for actors to make huge profits. With that, historically, some actors have received pay for their television work which is at least $1 million for each episode. The fact that television actors have reached this momentous milestone is evidence of their immense talent and dedication to their craft.

television actors

These highly compensated actors frequently appear in famous television programs, and the program’s success depends on how well they perform. Several of them have amassed sizable fan bases and established themselves as household names, which has helped them secure lucrative deals with television networks.

In this article, we’ll look at a few television actors that have earned $1 million or more each episode and talk about how they did it. We’ll also look at their careers and most well-known roles. These actors’ earnings, now among the highest-paid people in the entertainment business, have garnered international attention.

Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry-Seinfeld

In 1997, Jerry Seinfeld made history when he became the first person to earn $1 million per episode for the final season of the iconic sitcom “Seinfeld.” The show had become a cultural phenomenon and was a massive rating success during its nine-year run. Seinfeld was also offered a staggering $5 million per episode to bring the show back for a 10th season but ultimately declined.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston has a lengthy history as a well-known actress in the entertainment industry. She was included on the list of actors who made at least $1 million per episode in 2002 for her work on the hit TV show “Friends.”

Aniston reentered the list in 2021 because of her main position in the AppleTV+ series “The Morning Show,” for which she receives a respectable $2 million each episode. Aniston is one of the highest-paid actresses on television, and the show’s second season, which just debuted, continues to highlight her skills.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon

2019 saw the television debut of Witherspoon, who is most recognized for her roles in the movies “Legally Blonde” and “Walk the Line,” as well as the Liane Moriarty novel “Big Little Lies,” which was adapted by HBO. Through the use of her company Hello Sunshine, Witherspoon not only had an acting part but also served as the show’s producer, earning an astonishing $1 million every episode.

With Jennifer Aniston, Witherspoon also appears in “The Morning Show,” where she receives a startling $2 million every episode. Witherspoon’s participation in both programs solidifies her image as a very successful and well-paid actress in the television industry. 

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr

Robert Downey Jr. is a well-known film actor who has earned a lot of money for his roles in blockbuster films. Recently, he has made a move to the small screen, starring in the HBO series “The Sympathizer,” based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. 

Downey was paid a minimum of $2 million every episode for his part in the show. This is a significant transition for the actor, who just left his position as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

John Krasinski

John-Krasinski

For each of the eight episodes of the third season of the television series “Jack Ryan,” which he also produced, John Krasinski made a staggering $2 million in 2022. 

His acting fee and his producing fee together made up this astounding pay. One of the highest-paid actors in the television industry, Krasinski made a total of $16 million for his work during the season.

Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner, one of the principal stars in the television series “Yellowstone,” made an astounding $1.2 million in each episode in the fifth season. In all, Kevin made around $9.6 million for the 8 episodes of the season, which ran from November 2022 to January 2023. This is a significant sum of money for only one person, demonstrating his importance to the program’s success.

Elisabeth Moss

Elisabeth Moss

In 2022, Elisabeth Moss was paid a staggering $1 million for each episode of the Apple TV+ series “Shining Girls,” in which she starred. The series consisted of eight episodes, meaning that Moss earned a total of $8 million for her work on the show.

Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren

Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren

The 2022 television series “1923,” which is set in the same world as the well-liked program “Yellowstone,” has contracts with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren that stipulate they will each get $1 million each episode.

These actors rank among the highest-paid actors in the business owing to their fantastic pay. Although the exact number of episodes for the series has not yet been determined, they have so far already released 8 episodes. Yet, it is anticipated to be a substantial production with prominent and successful from its producers.

Jason Sudeikis

Jason Sudeikis

With its release on AppleTV+ in 2022, the sitcom “Ted Lasso” has been a smash hit, winning several Emmy Awards, including best actor for Jason Sudeikis. With that, Sudeikis’s compensation for the third season of “Ted Lasso” was recently revealed to be increasing to an astonishing $1 million per episode, placing Sudeikis in league with some of the highest-paid actors in the television industry.

Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt

The Marvel Cinematic Universe includes Chris Pratt, who is most known for playing Star-Lord or Peter Quill in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” film series. But in 2022, he began work on a brand-new Amazon Prime project, playing the lead role in the television series adaption of “The Terminal List,” a Jack Carr novel.

With that, Pratt became one of the most paid actors in the business because of his performance on the series, for which he received an astounding $1.4 million for each episode he featured.

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges

After a 50-year absence from television, Jeff Bridges returned to the small screen in 2022, starring in the FX for Hulu series “The Old Man.” Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, the series saw Bridges receive an impressive $1 million per episode for his work. The veteran actor also served as an executive producer for the show, demonstrating his continued influence and contribution to the industry.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton had a very successful run in 2021, earning both an Emmy award and an incredible $1 million for each of the eight episodes in which he appeared in the Hulu miniseries “Dopesick.” 

Keaton’s performance of Dr. Samuel Finnix in the program, which dealt with the US opioid crisis, garnered praise from critics, further solidifying his status as the best actor in the business.

Norman Reedus

In the popular television series “The Walking Dead,” which ran from 2010 to 2022, well-known actor Norman Reedus had a significant part. For each episode he featured in while the program was at its highest point in the latter seasons, Reedus earned an astonishing $1 million. 

Reedus was one of the highest-paid performers on television at the time, appearing in 148 of the 177 episodes and contributing between $22 and $24 million in total compensation each season.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman gained notoriety in the television industry because of her role in HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” where she made $1 million per episode for playing Celeste Wright.

Patricia Heaton

Patricia Heaton

Patricia Heaton, the famous actress who played the lead role of Frankie Heck in the sitcom “The Middle,” earned a whopping $1 million per episode in the final season of the show. With 24 episodes in the season, Heaton took home a total of $24 million for her performance.

Cast of "Game of Thrones"

cast of game of thrones

“Game of Thrones” is an award-winning HBO series that ran for eight seasons and captured a massive following. The main cast, including Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, and Kit Harrington, received \$1 million for each episode of the final season in 2017-2018, where they played Tyrion Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and Jon Snow, respectively.

Cast of "The Big Bang Theory"

Cast of The Big Bang Theory

“The Big Bang Theory” was a hugely popular sitcom that aired for twelve seasons from 2007 to 2019. During the show’s run, its three main stars – Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco – negotiated a substantial raise in their salaries, earning \$1 million per episode for 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons. 

This made them some of the highest-paid television actors in history. Prior to their million-dollar salaries, they were earning $350,000 per episode. In total, each of the three prominent cast members earned more than $100 million from the eighth to the show’s final season.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen, known for his role in the sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” made headlines in 2011 for his erratic behavior, which resulted in the early end of the show’s final season. 

Despite this, Sheen earned $1.8 million per episode for the 16 episodes he appeared in that season, totaling approximately $30 million. At one point, Sheen held the Guinness World Record for Highest Paid TV Actor Per Episode.

James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini

The contract talks for James Gandolfini’s role in “The Sopranos” turned out to be a difficult process that put the successful HBO show in danger of production delays and cancellation. Due to the network’s refusal to pay the actor $1 million per episode for the fifth season of the show, the actor launched a lawsuit against them.

HBO retaliated by suing Gandolfini for $100 million. Production was put on hold for two weeks as a result of the standoff, but after the executive producer of the program stepped in, Gandolfini was ultimately given the increase he had been asking for—effectively doubling his pay—but only if he agreed to return for two more seasons.

Ray Romano

For each episode of the final two seasons of the CBS comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Ray Romano, the actor, made a staggering $1.7 million. It was an excellent success for CBS, and the program’s cast, which centered on Romano and his eccentric family, continues to get money via syndication. Romano made $2.7 million in 2004 dollars, which, after inflation, is what they would be worth now.

Kelsey Grammer

Kelsey Grammer

Well renowned for his role as Dr. Frasier Crane on “Cheers,” Kelsey Grammer had a lengthier run than he had imagined. He portrayed the role for 20 years, and the spinoff series “Frasier” was a major hit, winning 37 Emmys over the course of its 11-season run.

Grammer made a staggering $1.6 million each episode over the show’s final two seasons, bringing his overall earnings for those two seasons to just around $77 million. It would translate to $2.66 million for each episode now when inflation has been taken into account.

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