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10 Highest Earning TV Stars Of All Time In Hollywood

There is no shortage of aspiring actors who see themselves ruling Hollywood someday. Most of them dream of starring in a big productions movie but some are happy with the small screen. The movie business is the most uncertain choice of career. Starring in one film today doesn’t guarantee a role tomorrow. So many actors have found fame and a robust career in TV series. It is safe to that they are also more popular and take home big fat paychecks with them. While film actors have to wait around for the next project to pop up, TV show stars are making big bucks from each episode. Here are the 10 highest-earning TV stars of all time in Hollywood.

Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon

Two of the most powerful stars of Hollywood have recently blessed the small screen with their presence. Even though Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon earned fame from classic movies, they are now more than happy exploring TV series. The two precious gems star in the critically-acclaimed “Big Little Lies” and get $1 million per episode.

Charlie Sheen

Talking about popular TV stars and not mentioning Charlie Sheen is a crime. Before his fall from grace and fame, Sheen was the most demanded diva in the industry. As the face of “Two and a Half Men”, Sheen could reportedly demand $1.8 million per episode. This naturally stopped after he got the boot from the showrunner.

Friends Cast

Highest Earning TV Stars

If we talk about the most popular sitcom with the highest viewership, it has to be “Friends”. It immediately won millions of hearts and still continues to earn new fans. Back then, Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer were earning the most amongst the cast. So they gathered with their costars and negotiated for equal pay for all six of them. It was a successful move as each of the friends went home with $1 Million per episode.

Jerry Seinfeld

The television industry from 1989-1998 was ruled by one of the classic NBC sitcoms- “Seinfeld”. Jerry Seinfeld not only starred in the self-named show but he was also one of the creators and writers. He was paid about $2,364, 862 per episode for all his contributions. He was also offered $5 million to continue the show but he refused to stretch the season any further.

Big Bang Theory Cast

Highest Earning TV Stars
Highest Earning TV Stars

The beloved gang of BBT- Penny, Sheldon, Howard, Raj, and Leonard used to bag $1 million per episode. That makes sense given the ridiculously high viewership of the comedy. But when new members, Mayim Bialik’s Amy and Melissa Raunch’s Bernadette joined the gang, the actors settled for $900,000. The existing stars Kale Cuoco, Jim Parsons, etc. agreed for a pay cut of $100,000.

Elisabeth Moss

Elisabeth Moss stars in the Primetime Emmy winner “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, it navigates through the lives of women residing under the strict regime of a totalitarian society. As the leading star and producer of the show, Moss earns about $1 Million per episode.

Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Anniston

Reese and Jennifer are the queens of TV screens. The actors have worked in movies as well, with Reese earning critical acclaim and an Oscar Award from her films. These gems of Hollywood rose to fame almost at similar timings and even played sisters of “Friends”. Fans were delighted to see them share the screen again on “The Morning Show”. Even though it was Anniston’s first show after “Friends”, her star power and talent allowed her to demand $2 million per episode. Both Jennifer and Reese take a whopping amount of $2million per episode.

Michael C. Hall

Highest Earning TV Stars
Highest Earning TV Stars

Michael C. Hall is widely recognized for starring in the popular mystery of 2006 “Dexter”. He played the titular character who worked as a forensic technician in the day and turned into a serial killer of criminals by night. He was reportedly paid $830,000 per episode.

Ray Romano

Remember the classic hit “Everybody Loves Raymond”? It was one of the most popular and beloved sitcoms of the last ‘90s and early ‘00s. According to reports, the lead actor Ray Romano started with $800,000 which eventually rose to $1.8 million per episode.

Tim Allen

Tim Allen was once at the top of his game during the ‘90s. As the face of the hit sitcom “Home Improvement”, he was paid about $1.25 million per episode. It depicted the troublesome life of a TV show host struggling to raise his three mischievous kids with his wife, co-host, and neighbor.

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