Hollywood’s Biggest TV Paychecks Revealed, and Zendaya’s ‘Euphoria’ Deal Is Only the Start
Television is still one of the most lucrative places for an actor to work, even as streamers tighten budgets and cancel shows after a single season. The top of the pay scale looks nothing like what most working actors see, and it keeps climbing for a small group of household names.
A new breakdown of per-episode salaries for some of the medium’s biggest stars puts real figures on that gap. It also raises questions about what a headline paycheck buys in an industry where even critical favorites can vanish quickly.
Variety’s data shows every star on its list making over $1 million per episode, with some reaching $2 million. The names include Zendaya, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Garner, Selena Gomez and Chris Pratt.
One agent in the report said TV acting is still a very good business, especially for the starriest names. By that account, those stars are now close to the upper limit of what anyone has ever earned on television.
Zendaya is widely reported at $1 million per episode for ‘Euphoria’ Season 3, but the figure has not been confirmed by the actress or by HBO Max. She is also the show’s lead and an executive producer, which helps explain why she would be its highest-paid cast member.
Earlier reporting says she secured at least $1 million per episode for Season 2 after renegotiating following Season 1, totaling $8 million for the season. If the Season 3 number holds, it suggests she held that rate rather than moving far above it.
The highest-paid TV stars, according to Variety: • Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show) — $2M • Chris Pratt (The Terminal List) — $2M • Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) — $2M • Sylvester Stallone (Tulsa King) — $2M • Kenneth Branagh (Laird) — $1.4M • Harrison Ford (Shrinking) — $1.3M • Jason Segel (Shrinking) — $1.3M • Cole Hauser (Dutton Ranch) — $1.2M • Kelly Reilly (Dutton Ranch) — $1.2M • Elisabeth Moss (Shining Girls) — $1.1M • Zendaya (Euphoria) — $1M • Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) — $1M • Jake Gyllenhaal (Presumed Innocent) — $1M • Nicolas Cage (Spider-Noir) — $1M • Robert De Niro (Zero Day) — $1M • Andrew Garfield (Wild Things) — $1M • Jude Law (Wild Things) — $1M • Alan Ritchson (Reacher) — $1M • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) — $1M • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) — $1M • Jennifer Garner (The Five-Star Weekend) — $1M
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) November 12, 2026
The rest of the cast is less clear. Sydney Sweeney is reportedly at $800,000 per episode, and Jacob Elordi at roughly $700,000. Other reports put Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie and Maude Apatow between $250,000 and $500,000 per episode. Figures differ from outlet to outlet, so treat all of them as unofficial.
At the very top sit the ‘The Morning Show’ leads. Reese Witherspoon is making $2 million an episode for the show’s fourth season, and Aniston is also making $2 million an episode. Aniston is reported to be an executive producer on the series as well.
Veterans pull big checks too. Harrison Ford reportedly made $1 million per episode for ‘1923’, as did costar Helen Mirren. The Variety list also includes Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin at $1 million per episode for ‘Only Murders in the Building’.
Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly are listed at $1.2 million per episode for ‘Dutton Ranch’. That puts a newer drama in the same range as some of TV’s best-established franchises.
The same week the salary conversation heats up, ‘Spider-Noir’ offers a reminder of how fragile TV can be. The Prime Video and MGM+ series starring Nicolas Cage was cancelled after 8 episodes and won’t return for a second season.
The show drew strong reviews and 11 Emmy nominations, but Amazon pointed to high production costs and uneven viewing. It then won 5 Emmys just 2 days after the cancellation.
The gap between awards attention and renewal shows that stars’ salaries are only one line in a very expensive budget. When a series costs a lot to make and doesn’t draw the audience a platform expects, even acclaim may not save it.
The reporting behind these salaries comes with a major caveat. These figures are reported estimates rather than publicly confirmed contract amounts. Studios and networks rarely comment, so every number here comes from reporting and industry sources, not official disclosure.
Even so, the pattern is consistent. The biggest paydays go to stars who anchor a show and often hold producer credits, which gives them leverage to negotiate. For them, television has become a place to earn film-star money without leaving the small screen.
Do Hollywood’s Biggest TV Stars Deserve Up to $2 Million Per Episode?
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