Top TV Stars Command $2 Million an Episode as Streaming Keeps Premium Pay Alive
Updated
Updated · Variety · Nov 12
Top TV Stars Command $2 Million an Episode as Streaming Keeps Premium Pay Alive
1 articles · Updated · Variety · Nov 12
Summary
$2 million-an-episode deals are still landing for top TV talent, with Sylvester Stallone on Paramount+'s “Tulsa King” joining Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon at that level.
Streaming platforms still pay up because marquee actors can anchor short-run series and quickly attract subscribers, even as overall original-series production has cooled.
More stars are clearing seven figures per episode, including Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short on “Only Murders in the Building,” while Jennifer Garner topped $1 million for Peacock’s “The Five-Star Weekend.”
The boom is concentrated at the top: middle-tier actors face a tougher market, though shorter episode orders and looser exclusivity rules now let stars work multiple series.
Apple is viewed as the most aggressive buyer of star talent, with HBO, Amazon and some Paramount+ shows also paying heavily, while broadcast networks remain competitive at roughly $250,000 to $350,000 an episode.