Sep 29, 2017
Hollywood stars still get paid like it's 1999
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The Hollywood Walk of Fame. Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
"There's tons of money to be made in Hollywood — just not necessarily by boom operators or key grips," The Hollywood Reporter writes in its "Salary Report 2017":
Movie star: "Even in these belt-tightening times, it's still possible for film stars to get paid like it's 1999. A-listers hover around $20 million a picture — like Jennifer Lawrence for Red Sparrow, Will Smith for Netflix's Bright and Dwayne Johnson for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle — and can take home tens of millions more in backend" (cut of box office).
- Director: "Ridley Scott received $10 million to $12 million up front for Alien: Covenant."
- TV host: "Ryan Seacrest ... is getting ... $12 million for his return as host of American Idol ... Alec Baldwin is earning $3 million for ABC's Match Game ... Jamie Foxx is getting $4 million for Fox's Beat Shazam. ... Travel Channel's non-famous hosts make about $40,000 per episode."
- Studio chief: "[A]verage base salary at the chairman level — think Disney's Alan Horn or Fox's Stacey Snider — is $5 million. Total annual compensation ... can amount to $15 million to $20 million when factoring in stock grants and bonuses. ... The major perks[:] ... access to a private jet and a posh home theater."
- TV star: "[T]he Game of Thrones cast each make about $500,000 an episode ... Netflix's highest-paid star, Kevin Spacey, also earns $500,000 an episode for House of Cards."
- Digital talent: "[S]tars who own merch businesses, like Logan Paul and Jeffree Star, can make as much as $15 million."
