$2 Million Per Episode: Hollywood's Biggest Stars, from Sylvester Stallone to Zendaya, Reveal Their Eye-Watering TV Salaries

Hollywood stars continue to command television paychecks that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pratt are reportedly earning around $2 million per episode of their respective shows. Even actors outside the highest pay bracket, however, can expect seven-figure salaries.

Variety has compiled a ranking of the highest-paid television actors. Despite a slowdown in original series production and streaming platforms reassessing their budgets, A-list stars continue to sign multimillion-dollar deals.

Who Earns $2 Million Per Episode?

Four major stars top the salary rankings:

• Sylvester Stallone — $2 million per episode of Tulsa King.

• Jennifer Aniston — $2 million per episode of The Morning Show.

• Reese Witherspoon — $2 million per episode of the same series.

• Chris Pratt — $2 million per episode of The Terminal List.

Depending on the length of the season, the leading actors in these productions can earn between $16 million and $20 million for an eight-to-ten-episode run.

From $1 Million to $1.4 Million Per Episode

Kenneth Branagh occupies the next salary tier, reportedly set to earn $1.4 million per episode for the upcoming series Laird.

Harrison Ford and Jason Segel each receive $1.3 million per episode of the comedy-drama Shrinking.

Meanwhile, Dutton Ranch stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reportedly earn $1.2 million per episode.

Elizabeth Moss rounds out this group with a reported salary of $1.1 million per episode of Shining Girls.

Zendaya, Selena Gomez and Robert De Niro: $1 Million Per Episode

The list of celebrities earning $1 million for every episode is particularly impressive.

The category includes:

• Zendaya — Euphoria.

• Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short — Only Murders in the Building.

• Jennifer Garner — The Five-Star Weekend.

• Nicolas Cage — Spider-Noir.

• Robert De Niro — Zero Day.

• Jake Gyllenhaal — Presumed Innocent.

• Alan Ritchson — Reacher.

• Andrew Garfield and Jude Law — the upcoming series Wild Things.

Notably, these impressive paychecks are not limited to Hollywood veterans. Younger stars are commanding equally substantial sums. Zendaya, for example, reportedly earned around $1 million per episode for the third season of Euphoria.

Why Are Streaming Platforms Willing to Pay So Much?

Industry insiders say platforms are increasingly looking for actors who can attract large audiences and help turn a series into a hit. As a result, salaries for the most sought-after stars continue to climb, even as Hollywood overall cuts costs.

The television production model has also changed. In the past, actors could spend much of the year working on series with 22 episodes per season. Today's streaming productions typically run for just six to ten episodes. For stars, this means shorter filming schedules and the opportunity to take on several projects at once.

Talent agents also point out that leading actors are increasingly successful at negotiating major paychecks when they occupy top positions in a show's cast.

Apple TV, HBO and Amazon are considered particularly competitive when it comes to salaries. Paramount+ is also actively recruiting well-known performers, offering some leading actors more than $1 million per episode.

However, this financial boom is far from universal. While A-list stars are collecting record-breaking paychecks, mid-level actors who once enjoyed relatively steady work moving from one television production to another are finding the market much tougher.

According to one agent, today's industry bears little resemblance to the 2016–2019 period, when streaming platforms were pouring money into Hollywood and competing aggressively to secure major stars and popular projects.

Nevertheless, for the biggest names in the business, television remains one of the most lucrative sectors of the entertainment industry.