Hollywood, a land of dreams and stardom, has always been associated with glamour, fame, and fortune.
It’s easy to be swept up in the perception that anyone fortunate enough to find themselves in a television series must surely be living a life of opulence and comfort. However, the recent Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike has begun to reveal a different narrative.
Behind the scenes and the red carpet glitz, lies a more complex reality. A significant number of actors, it turns out, are not living the dream life many assume comes with the job. This reality came to light when a curious individual posed a question on Reddit, seeking to understand how much TV series actors make.
To better appreciate the full scope of the situation, we can look at a specific example: Michelle Hurd, a talented actress who appeared for three seasons on the recently concluded series “Star Trek: Picard”.
In an eye-opening interview, Hurd implied that she was living paycheck to paycheck, a phrase more commonly associated with minimum wage workers than television stars.
And Michelle Hurd is far from alone. As the strike continues, more actors have been coming forward to shed light on their own financial realities.
These revelations have stirred up the entertainment industry and sparked public discussions on actor compensation, contract conditions, job security, and the general cost of living in entertainment hubs such as Los Angeles and New York.
Within this broader conversation, a host of important questions arise: How much do actors actually earn? How secure is their income? What restrictions do they face in their contracts? And how does this income sustain them in a city with such high living costs?
To answer these questions, let’s dive deeper into the actors’ reality, piecing together information from various sources, including the personal experiences shared by actors themselves on platforms like Reddit.
When we think of actors, we often picture stars living in extravagant mansions, walking red carpets, and rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite. However, the reality is that many actors, even those with regular roles on TV shows, may not make as much money as we might expect.
Actor Chandler Riggs, best known for his long-standing role on “The Walking Dead”, opened up about his own experience in a Reddit discussion. Riggs detailed the reality of contractual obligations, which often lock actors into fixed salaries for six years.
Even if the show becomes an overnight sensation, the actors’ pay remains the same throughout the duration of their contract. Furthermore, networks often have the power to veto any additional work actors might want to take on during their off-season, potentially limiting their income even more.
Riggs also revealed another surprising detail: he has made more money from attending conventions than from his actual acting career. This observation speaks volumes about the financial reality for many actors in Hollywood.
Another Reddit user, who identifies as a supporting actor, pointed out that they might earn a decent sum of $1,000 per day, which equates to $5,000 a week. However, the catch is that supporting actors often only work one to three days a week and have to keep their schedule clear for the entire season, hindering them from participating in other projects.
In fact, some actors need to supplement their income with other jobs. For example, Julio Mechoso, an actor with over 100 credits to his name, also worked as a substitute school teacher. He revealed that having multiple income sources was necessary to maintain a family and own a house.
To further illustrate the diverse range of actor incomes, another Reddit user who identifies as an actor shared their experience and perspective.
According to their insight, the majority of the 160,000 actors in SAG (Screen Actors Guild) don’t make enough to qualify for health insurance, which requires an annual income of around $25,000. This indicates that only about 8,000 actors earn over this amount.
There are different categories of roles in TV series, including leads, co-stars, series regulars, guests, featured actors, stand-ins, and background actors. Each category generally earns less than the one before.
For example, a background actor might earn around $200 per day, while a lead, depending on the negotiation, could earn from $5,000 per week to a negotiated higher amount.
While these sums might sound impressive, they often misrepresent the actor’s net income. A variety of factors including the unpredictability of job opportunities, the percentage taken by agents, managers, lawyers, and publicists, as well as taxes, can substantially reduce the take-home pay.
For instance, if an actor works 20 weeks and takes home $2,000 per week after deductions, they’ve made $40,000. However, the next year might not provide the same amount of work or income.
Also, the high cost of living in places like Los Angeles, where many actors are based, can further stretch these earnings. Many actors maintain other jobs to supplement their income, making acting a secondary rather than primary source of income.
A key issue currently affecting actors’ earnings is the shift to streaming platforms. Residuals, or profit shares from a project’s success, were traditionally a large contributor to an actor’s income. However, with the rise of streaming, these residuals have shrunk, impacting the overall income of many actors. Consequently, the majority of the actors you see on screen likely have other jobs to supplement their acting income.
In summary, the perception that all actors are living in luxury is often far from the truth. While there are undoubtedly high earners in the industry, many actors, even those in consistent roles, may earn less than anticipated and face financial struggles.
With the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, these realities are coming to the forefront, prompting a broader conversation about the financial struggles within the acting industry.