Hollywood’s biggest television stars keep earning record-breaking paychecks.
LOS ANGELES, California. Hollywood’s leading television actors continue commanding salaries of up to $2 million per episode despite a slowdown in original series production. A new salary survey published by Variety reveals how streaming platforms are concentrating substantial financial resources on established performers while opportunities become increasingly limited for mid-level actors.
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon remain among television’s highest-paid stars, each reportedly earning approximately $2 million per episode of Apple TV’s The Morning Show. Their agreements helped establish a new compensation benchmark as streaming companies competed to attract prominent Hollywood talent.
Sylvester Stallone reportedly receives a similar amount for Paramount+’s Tulsa King, while Chris Pratt earns approximately $2 million per episode for Amazon’s The Terminal List.
Other performers have secured substantial contracts. Kenneth Branagh reportedly receives $1.4 million per episode for Laird, while Harrison Ford and Jason Segel earn approximately $1.3 million each for Shrinking. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser reportedly command $1.2 million per episode for Dutton Ranch.
Zendaya earns approximately $1 million per episode of HBO’s Euphoria. Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short receive comparable compensation for Only Murders in the Building. Robert De Niro, Nicolas Cage and Jennifer Garner also appear among performers commanding seven-figure episodic salaries.
Nicole Kidman illustrates another transformation in television contracts. Relaxed exclusivity requirements have allowed established stars to participate in multiple productions, creating greater flexibility in an industry increasingly dependent on shorter seasons.
That shift helps explain why substantial episodic salaries remain commercially attractive. Streaming productions frequently consist of six to ten episodes rather than the traditional 22-episode seasons associated with broadcast television, reducing the total number of installments requiring compensation.
However, the financial benefits are unevenly distributed. While internationally recognized performers continue negotiating exceptional contracts, actors outside Hollywood’s highest-profile tier face fewer opportunities as production companies reduce commissions and exercise greater spending discipline.
Traditional broadcast television remains competitive in certain cases, with established performers reportedly receiving between $250,000 and $350,000 per episode at the beginning of new projects.
The figures demonstrate that the streaming industry has not abandoned expensive talent agreements. Instead, major platforms appear increasingly selective about where they invest, prioritizing recognizable performers capable of attracting audiences and supporting subscription-based business models.
The broader challenge for Hollywood is whether this concentration of spending can coexist with sustainable opportunities for the wider creative workforce.
Beyond the Numbers, the Consequences.