How much money do actors make?

[Dryr]

Everyone. From Bruce Willis starting in the Die Hards to Surrogates to Red, Devon Sawa from Idle Hands to Final Destination to Slackers to his latest DVD only releases.

Is there a site somewhere that shows exactly what actors rake in starting with their blockbusters/indie films to their dvd release slumps?

I just saw Sean William Scott in a P.O.S. teen comedy called balls out and I'm wondering when it is that otherwise successful actors take B.S. rolls just for a paycheck (Jessica Alba in Machete). Also, I'm wondering what over-hyped actors get for rolls in otherwise stupid films get (Angelina Jolie in Wanted, Beowolf, Salt, etc...)

[Souj]

I'm wondering when it is that otherwise successful actors take B.S. rolls just for a paycheck (Jessica Alba in Machete).

wut?
Machete is probably the best movie Alba has ever done.

[Qalbert]

roles*

[ZarakiKujata]

Everyone. From Bruce Willis starting in the Die Hards to Surrogates to Red, Devon Sawa from Idle Hands to Final Destination to Slackers to his latest DVD only releases.

Is there a site somewhere that shows exactly what actors rake in starting with their blockbusters/indie films to their dvd release slumps?

I just saw Sean William Scott in a P.O.S. teen comedy called balls out and I'm wondering when it is that otherwise successful actors take B.S. rolls just for a paycheck (Jessica Alba in Machete). Also, I'm wondering what over-hyped actors get for rolls in otherwise stupid films get (Angelina Jolie in Wanted, Beowolf, Salt, etc...)

Look around on google; some are up on IMDB, and other such places. Bruce Willis got $5mill for Die Hard 1 according to the DVD commentary. Angelina Jolie is 15-20m per movie + back end.

Sean William Scott is in that movie b/c the comedy market in the US has been eroding for years b/c of movies being made to cater to the more important international market that doesn't get non-slapstick American humor. He's doing it b/c while you think the movie sucks, it keeps him connected to his key demo that likes Stiffler, those kinds of movies tend to make bank overseas (cheap gags/predicatable shit sells) and if it explodes as indie teen comedies can, then he gets recognition and better paying roles for it.

edit: And the thing is, putting Bruce Willis or Angelina in what you call 'stupid' films is a consistent way to pretty much guarantee windfall profits abroad.

[Baelorn]

TV:

Spoiler: show

Drama (per episode)

Hugh Laurie (House) $400,000+
Christopher Meloni & Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU) $395,000 (each)
David Caruso (CSI: Miami) $375,000
Marg Helgenberger (CSI) $375,000
Mark Harmon (NCIS) $375,000
Laurence Fishburne (CSI) $350,000
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)  $350,000
Denis Leary (Rescue Me) $350,000
Gary Sinise (CSI: NY ) $275,000
Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy)  $250,000
David Boreanaz (Bones) $200,000
Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) $200,000
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife ) $175,000
Dana Delany (Body of Proof ) $150,000
Lauren Graham (Parenthood) $150,000
Jada Pinkett Smith (HawthoRNe) $150,000
Jimmy Smits (Outlaw) $150,000
LL Cool J (NCIS: Los Angeles) $125,000
Chris O'Donnell (NCIS: Los Angeles) $125,000
Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains) $125,000
Jason Lee (Memphis Beat) $125,000
Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) $125,000
Tom Selleck (Blue Bloods) $125,000
Michael Weatherly (NCIS) $125,000
Matt Bomer (White Collar) $100,000
Nathan Fillion (Castle) $100,000
Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds) $100,000
Jon Hamm (Mad Men) $100,000
Cole Hauser (Chase)  $100,000
Alex O'Loughlin (Hawaii Five-0) $100,000
Timothy Olyphant (Justified  ) $100,000
Scott Caan (Hawaii Five-0) $80,000
Angie Harmon (Rizzoli & Isles) $75,000
Anna Paquin (True Blood) $75,000
Blair Underwood (The Event) $75,000
Zachary Levi (Chuck) $60,000
Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries) $40,000
Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) $40,000
Ashley Tisdale (Hellcats) $30,000

Late Night/Talk Syndication (per year)

Oprah Winfrey $315 million
Judge Judy Sheindlin $45 million
David Letterman (The Late Show) $28 million
Jay Leno (The Tonight Show) $25 million
Conan O'Brien (The Conan O'Brien Show) $10 million
Ellen DeGeneres (The Ellen DeGeneres Show) $8 million
Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live) $6 million
Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately) $3.5 million
George Lopez (Lopez Tonight) $3.5 million

Reality (per year)

Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) $15 million
Joel McHale (The Soup) $2 million
Piers Morgan (America's Got Talent) $2 million
Kate Gosselin (Kate Plus 8) $250,000 per episode
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (Jersey Shore) $30,000 per episode

Comedy (per episode)

Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) $1.25 million
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) $550,000
Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Eva Longoria Parker (Desperate Housewives) $400,000
Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons) $400,000
Julie Kavner (The Simpsons) $400,000
Tina Fey (30 Rock) $350,000
Jeremy Piven (Entourage) $350,000
Steve Carell (The Office) $297,000
Angus T. Jones (Two and a Half Men) $250,000
David Duchovny (Californication) $200,000
Kevin Dillon (Entourage) $200,000
Adrian Grenier (Entourage) $200,000
Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) $180,000
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) $175,000
William Shatner ($#*! My Dad Says) $150,000
David Spade (Rules of Engagement) $150,000
Ed O'Neill (Modern Family) $100,000
Patrick Warburton (Rules of Engagement) $85,000
Betty White (Hot in Cleveland) $75,000
Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) $60,000
Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) $60,000
Ty Burrell (Modern Family) $50,000
Jane Lynch (Glee) $50,000
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) $40,000
Matthew Morrison (Glee) $30,000
Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) $30,000
Dylan and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) $20,000 (each)
Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) $15,000

News (per year)

Matt Lauer (Today)  $16 million +
Katie Couric (CBS) $15 million
Brian Williams (NBC) $12.5 million
Diane Sawyer (ABC) $12 million
Meredith Vieira (Today) $11 million
Bill O'Reilly (Fox News) $10 million
George Stephanopoulos (ABC) $8 million
Keith Olbermann (MSNBC) $7 million
Shepard Smith (Fox News) $7 million
Wolf Blitzer (CNN) $3 million
Christiane Amanpour (ABC) $2 million
Lawrence O'Donnell (MSNBC) $2 million
Eliot Spitzer (CNN) $500,000

For specific movie actors check out http://www.the-numbers.com/

EDIT: A lot of times there are no hard numbers on what some actors make because while they get a relatively low lump sum upfront they may be getting a % of the box office/dvd sales/merchandising/etc

[Xno Kappa]

Holy Shit! Charlie Sheen making 1.25 million per episode of Two and a Half Men is crazy, and that show stopped being funny a long ass time ago.

[nicholai]

Alot of stuff also depends on who knows who in Hollywood, some actors only do 1 or 2 well paying jobs a year then 4-8 low pay/free jobs for friends. There are the few that knock out like 4 big jobs a year but not many of them. Oh and ya wtf charlie sheen stinks. Thats just like all the main cast of Friends were making like 1.6mil an episode the last season or 2.

[Cantih]

Also, don't forget that the actor's agent gets a few percent of what they make, and that comes out of the actors pay (which is a contributing factor to inflated paychecks).

[Moss]

Interesting. Any idea how much random guy on random beer commercial with speaking part makes?

[Xno Kappa]

Tree fiddy.

[Saga]

Tree fiddy.

god DAMN you loch ness monstah!

[Ragnus]

Too much.

[synistar]

I was an extra in a Jay Leno promo last year for the winter olympics., though I wasn't on film. Made about $30/hr. Was considered a principle extra since 5 of us were trained at curling. The other extras got paid like $120 for the day.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Steve Carrel making nearly 300,000$ for an episode of The office... He's great... but seriously?

[Arrmani]

FML lost the post.

The difference between Mark Harmon and the other NCIS actors is kinda ridiculous. I know he carries the show, but the rest are pretty good I think. And 1.25mil for Charlie Sheen is a lot, even if that show is still funny.

[Qalbert]

but considering that it isn't the price is beyond ridiculous

[Blarg]

Steve Carrel making nearly 300,000$ for an episode of The office... He's great... but seriously?

charlie
sheen

[altwight]

Judge judy. loving it

[Vaspinne]

Also, don't forget that the actor's agent gets a few percent of what they make, and that comes out of the actors pay (which is a contributing factor to inflated paychecks).

This isn't entirely true. Actors build up a certain quote that they get paid per film (depending on past projects/successes/failures), their agents are the ones who not only get them auditions/sit downs with directors+producers+studios/the actual chance to work, but they also go to town to make sure they get paid their quote or close to it. Agents don't get a chunk out of an actors pay, by law (in Hollywood/Cali) the studio pays the actor 10% extra that goes directly to the agent, so the actor's pay isn't affected. IE, Will Smith gets $20mil per film, he'll get paid the $20mil, and the studio will pay his agent $2mil. Managers on the other hand aren't regulated by law like agents are (in Hollywood/Cali anyway), so how they get paid really depends on the contract an actor has with his/her manager.

For a random guy who does a beer commercial with speaking parts, it really kind of depends. Brand new actors rarely get loads and loads of cash, even on a national commercial. Again, if the actor gets consistent work, they build up a quote and get paid that per commercial + residuals. Of course this isn't set in stone, when I went to school there were stories of people being able to pay off their entire tuition and then some because they got a national commercial (tuition being $20k USD or so). Of course, even if you're the best goddamn actor on the planet, you don't get big paying commercials like that once a week. Hell, a couple times a year if you're lucky, so getting a $20k paycheck may seem like a lot, but it's a paycheck you'd probably live off of for some time.

In all truth, the majority that a studio pays on a project like a film doesn't even go to the actors. A good chunk goes to paying everyone obviously, and another good chunk goes to funding the film and getting it made. But the most surprising thing is that the majority of the money goes into advertising for the film. You can pay top dollar for the best actors and production crews, but if no one knows about the film and as a result, no one goes to see it, then it's all just wasted money.

Extra work is decent money, but at the same time it isn't consistent. Yeah, you can make a quick buck for some pocket change, but you can't live off of it in the long run. And while actors like Charlie Sheen get paid WAAAAAAY too much money, it doesn't change the fact that 2 and a Half Men gets a shitton of viewers every week, has won Emmy's, is replayed on TV how many times a day, and probably has a ton of viewers overseas as well. As much as one hates the show, it doesn't mean there isn't a demographic audience out there that doesn't like it. Sean William Scott probably did that shitty movie because lets face it, how much work does he get? In the last year he was a minor role in Cop Out, and was a principle in Role Models, but other than that? I can't really think of anything big. Odds are he did it cause he needed the money and having work > not having work. Even the best and most liked actors go through long slumps, so for someone like him it's not surprising he took a principle role in a shitty movie.

Edit: Didn't realize I wrote a book there >_>

[Moss]

For a random guy who does a beer commercial with speaking parts, it really kind of depends. Brand new actors rarely get loads and loads of cash, even on a national commercial. Again, if the actor gets consistent work, they build up a quote and get paid that per commercial + residuals. Of course this isn't set in stone, when I went to school there were stories of people being able to pay off their entire tuition and then some because they got a national commercial (tuition being $20k USD or so). Of course, even if you're the best goddamn actor on the planet, you don't get big paying commercials like that once a week. Hell, a couple times a year if you're lucky, so getting a $20k paycheck may seem like a lot, but it's a paycheck you'd probably live off of for some time.

Thanks for the info. I just wondered because I stood in for a guy on a TV show, and I've seen him on two commercials since then. He has been around a while but has never really done anything big, was just curious as to what kind of living he was probably making.