There’s good news for actresses on TV, according to Variety. Unlike in the film world, where actresses are often saddled with lower pay days than their male counterparts for equally challenging roles, the TV world seems much more equal.
Variety has put out a list of their estimates for actor and actress salaries for both comedy and drama series, and the gender split seems downright equal. In fact, two woman, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, top the drama earners with an impressive $750,000 per episode for the upcoming Netflix revival of “The Gilmore Girls.” Now, do recall that the revisit to Stars Hollow is only limited to four episodes and each is 90 minutes, so their salary would have had to be attractive.
Up next for the ladies on the drama list are Lena Headey and Emilia Clarke of “Game of Thrones,” whose $500,000 per episode rate is equal to that of their male co-stars Kit Harington, Peter Dinklage, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Some movie stars did indeed make the top drama earners, with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon popping on there for the upcoming HBO series “Big Little Lies.”
Over in the comedy realm, Kaley Cuoco tops the list with a paycheck of $1,000,000 per episode. equal to her “Big Bang Theory” male co-stars. Movie actresses Drew Barrymore and Emma Stone hit at the top end of the comedy list both for upcoming Netflix projects. It just goes to show how much women in the movies are turning to TV for great roles and great salaries.
And in the Reality/Host/News category, “Judge Judy” herself, Judy Scheindlin tops the list with a whopping $47 million in estimated earnings per year. That category is a bit harder to pin down since so many shows are syndicated, but Scheindlin towers over the second place earner, Matt Lauer.
As Variety notes, they put together the lists by conducting “a wide survey of actors, executives, attorneys, agents, managers, and other representatives in an effort to offer a snapshot of the earnings power of talent at all levels in primetime, late-night, daytime, and news. The figures presented here are estimates based on extensive research to determine talent paydays in the most current seasons of specific series.”
All three lists are below, courtesy of Variety.
