For decades, earning $1 million for a single television episode was virtually unimaginable. Jerry Seinfeld became the first actor to reach that figure in 1997, and the seven-figure club remained remarkably small for years afterward.
That exclusivity has faded as major film stars have moved into cable and streaming television. In their effort to secure top-tier talent, networks and platforms began offering unprecedented compensation packages. Today, dozens of performers reportedly earn at least $1 million per episode, while a select group commands $2 million or more. Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Sylvester Stallone and Chris Pratt have each been linked to per-episode deals worth approximately $2 million in recent industry salary reports.
The ranks continue to expand. A November 2026 survey from Variety listed seven-figure episode salaries for Kenneth Branagh, Jason Segel, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Nicolas Cage, Robert De Niro, Alan Ritchson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Garner, Jude Law and Andrew Garfield. Harrison Ford also entered the higher-earning tier with his compensation for Shrinking, adding to his previously reported $1 million-per-episode deal for 1923.
There is, however, an important qualification. The reported figures do not always represent acting pay alone. Many leading performers also work as producers or executive producers, meaning their total compensation can include production fees, bonuses or backend participation. As a result, a $2 million streaming package is not necessarily comparable to Ray Romano’s traditional $1.8 million acting salary on Everybody Loves Raymond. In addition, figures tied to shows still in production typically reflect negotiated rates rather than money already paid for completed episodes.
Jennifer Aniston is among the few actors to reach the $1 million mark on two separate series. She first achieved it on Friends before returning to the seven-figure tier with The Morning Show. Reese Witherspoon has likewise reached that level on more than one series.
Who Was the First Television Actor to Earn $1 Million Per Episode?
Jerry Seinfeld became the first television actor to command $1 million per episode when he negotiated the landmark salary for the ninth and final season of Seinfeld in 1997.
The deal was groundbreaking at the time, though Seinfeld’s acting pay would eventually be eclipsed by the enormous fortune he generated through ownership stakes and backend participation in the hit sitcom.
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Has Anyone Ever Earned $2 Million Per Episode?
Yes. Robert Downey Jr. was reported to receive at least $2 million per episode for “The Sympathizer.” Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have been reported at $2 million per episode for “The Morning Show,” while John Krasinski’s combined acting and producing compensation on “Jack Ryan” reached $2 million per episode. Variety’s 2026 salary survey also places Sylvester Stallone at $2 million for “Tulsa King” and Chris Pratt at $2 million for “The Terminal List.”
And then there’s Sarah Jessica Parker. Celebrity Net Worth has long reported that Parker earned $3.2 million per episode during the final three seasons of “Sex and the City,” after she became a producer. If accurate, that remains the largest reported per-episode compensation package in television history.
What’s The Highest Traditional Acting Salary In TV History?
For a clean traditional episodic acting salary, Ray Romano has one of the strongest claims to the record.
Contemporary reporting confirmed that Romano’s “Everybody Loves Raymond” contract paid him at least $1.8 million per episode, surpassing the $1.6 million Kelsey Grammer had been earning for “Frasier.” Unlike many modern streaming packages, Romano’s reported figure did not include additional producing or syndication compensation.
The tables below separate packages above $1 million per episode from salaries reported at or around $1 million. They combine historical contracts with newer streaming deals, including Variety’s 2026 figures. The $1 million group includes rounded estimates and, in some cases, contracts described as exceeding the threshold without a more precise figure. These are nominal reported amounts, not inflation-adjusted figures.
More Than $1 Million Per Episode
The $1 Million Per Episode Club
Go Deeper
- Kenneth Branagh — “Laird” — Reported $1.4 Million Per Episode
Kenneth Branagh secured one of the largest reported new television deals with “Laird,” a Paramount+ drama set in the Scottish Highlands. He stars as a landowner defending his family’s estate from an American billionaire and is also an executive producer. Variety places his rate at $1.4 million per episode. The figure concerns a project that was still in production when the survey was published, rather than a completed run of aired episodes.
- Harrison Ford & Jason Segel — “Shrinking” — Reported $1.3 Million Each Per Episode
Apple TV’s “Shrinking” gives Harrison Ford and Jason Segel matching seven-figure paydays, with Variety listing each at $1.3 million per episode. Segel also co-created and executive produces the comedy. Ford has reached the milestone on two different shows, having previously earned a reported $1 million per episode for the “Yellowstone” prequel “1923.”
- Kelly Reilly & Cole Hauser — “Dutton Ranch” — Reported $1.2 Million Each Per Episode
Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser brought their “Yellowstone” characters Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler to “Dutton Ranch,” which premiered on Paramount+ in 2026. Variety lists both stars at $1.2 million per episode. The follow-up series gives each actor a major television payday while extending two of the parent show’s most recognizable characters into their own story.
- Selena Gomez, Steve Martin & Martin Short — “Only Murders in the Building” — At Least $1 Million Each Per Episode
The three leads of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” have joined the seven-figure club. Variety’s salary chart rounds Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short to $1 million per episode, while its accompanying reporting describes their compensation as exceeding that amount as the series continues into its sixth season. Without a more precise breakdown, $1 million or more is the appropriate figure for each.
- Jake Gyllenhaal — “Presumed Innocent” — Reported $1 Million Per Episode
Jake Gyllenhaal moved into prestige television with the Apple TV legal thriller “Presumed Innocent,” based on Scott Turow’s novel. Variety lists his compensation at $1 million per episode. Gyllenhaal was also an executive producer, so the headline figure should not automatically be treated as acting salary alone.
- Alan Ritchson — “Reacher” — Reported $1 Million Per Episode
Alan Ritchson’s starring role in Prime Video’s “Reacher” has made him one of streaming’s best-paid action leads. Variety puts his episodic compensation at $1 million, placing him alongside established film stars who have moved into big-budget television. The number illustrates how valuable a recognizable lead can become to a successful streaming franchise.
- Nicolas Cage — “Spider-Noir” — Reported $1 Million Per Episode
Nicolas Cage received a reported $1 million per episode for “Spider-Noir,” his first regular television starring role. The Marvel-inspired detective series debuted in 2026 and ran for one eight-episode season. The deal shows how a single eight-episode run can deliver a multimillion-dollar payday, although Variety did not provide a breakdown of the compensation package.
- Robert De Niro — “Zero Day” — Reported $1 Million Per Episode
Robert De Niro joined the seven-figure television ranks with Netflix’s political thriller “Zero Day.” Variety reports a $1 million-per-episode rate for the six-episode limited series. De Niro also served as an executive producer, another example of how contemporary star compensation can combine several different roles.
- Jude Law & Andrew Garfield — “Wild Things” — Reported $1 Million Each Per Episode
Jude Law and Andrew Garfield were cast as Siegfried and Roy in Apple’s eight-episode drama “Wild Things,” with Law playing Siegfried and Garfield playing Roy. Variety lists each actor at $1 million per episode, and both are executive producers. Because the project was announced before its premiere, these are reported negotiated rates, not a confirmation that the full season’s compensation has already been paid.
- Jennifer Garner — “The Five Star Weekend” — Reported $1 Million Per Episode
Jennifer Garner crossed the seven-figure threshold with Peacock’s “The Five Star Weekend,” an eight-episode adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s novel that premiered in 2026. Variety lists her at $1 million per episode, and Garner is also an executive producer. The series is an example of a streaming service paying film-star rates for a high-profile book adaptation.
- Sylvester Stallone — “Tulsa King” — Reported $2 Million Per Episode
Sylvester Stallone started at $750,000 per episode for Season 1 of “Tulsa King” and jumped to $1.5 million for Season 2. His compensation climbed again, and Variety’s 2026 survey places his star/executive-producer package at $2 million per episode.
- Winona Ryder & David Harbour — “Stranger Things” Season 5 — Approximately $1.2 Million Per Episode
Winona Ryder and David Harbour reportedly received roughly $9.5 million each for the eight-episode fifth and final season of “Stranger Things.” Spread across the season, that works out to approximately $1.19 million per episode.
- Zendaya — “Euphoria” Season 3 — About $1 Million Per Episode
Zendaya renegotiated her HBO deal ahead of the third season of “Euphoria,” with reporting placing her new compensation at close to $1 million per episode. She also serves as an executive producer on the series.
- Mahershala Ali — “The Plot” — Reported $1.3 Million Per Episode
Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali reportedly secured a $1.3 million-per-episode deal for the Hulu limited series “The Plot.” Because the figure comes from industry reporting on his contract, it is best understood as a reported package rather than a publicly disclosed salary.
- Kevin Costner — “Yellowstone” Season 5 — $1.3 Million Per Episode
Kevin Costner earned a reported $1.3 million per episode for Season 5 of “Yellowstone,” up dramatically from the roughly $500,000-per-episode salary reported for the show’s early seasons.
- Elisabeth Moss — “Shining Girls” — $1.1 Million Per Episode
Elisabeth Moss earned a reported $1.1 million per episode for the Apple TV+ thriller “Shining Girls,” where she also served as an executive producer. Moss had already reached the seven-figure level through her work on “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
- Harrison Ford — “1923” — $1 Million Per Episode
- Helen Mirren — “1923” — $1 Million Per Episode
Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren each earned a reported $1 million per episode for the Paramount+ “Yellowstone” prequel “1923.”
- John Krasinski — “Jack Ryan” — $2 Million Per Episode
Between his acting salary and producing fee, John Krasinski’s compensation reached roughly $2 million per episode of “Jack Ryan.” With eight episodes in the season, that worked out to approximately $16 million.
- Jason Sudeikis — “Ted Lasso” Season 3 — $1 Million Per Episode
Jason Sudeikis earned $1 million per episode for Season 3 of “Ted Lasso.” His package reflected more than acting: Sudeikis was also the show’s co-creator, executive producer and one of its key writers.
- Chris Pratt — “The Terminal List” — Reported $2 Million Per Episode
Chris Pratt was originally placed at $1.4 million per episode for Prime Video’s “The Terminal List” in a 2021 industry salary survey. Variety’s 2026 survey puts his per-episode compensation at $2 million. The newer report does not break out acting and producing fees, but its figure moves Pratt into the very top tier of reported television pay.
- Jeff Bridges — “The Old Man” — $1 Million Per Episode
Jeff Bridges earned a reported $1 million per episode for FX’s “The Old Man,” his first regular television starring role in decades. Bridges also served as an executive producer.
- Michael Keaton — “Dopesick” — $1 Million Per Episode
Michael Keaton earned $1 million per episode for the eight-episode Hulu miniseries “Dopesick,” giving him roughly $8 million in compensation from the series. Keaton also served as an executive producer and won an Emmy for his performance.
- Robert Downey Jr. — “The Sympathizer” — Reported $2 Million+ Per Episode
Robert Downey Jr. was reported to have received at least $2 million per episode for HBO’s “The Sympathizer.” He played multiple characters in the limited series and also served as an executive producer.
- Jennifer Aniston — “The Morning Show” — Reported $2 Million Per Episode
- Jennifer Aniston — “Friends” — $1 Million Per Episode
Jennifer Aniston first joined the club during Seasons 9 and 10 of “Friends,” when all six principal cast members earned $1 million per episode. She later returned to seven-figure television compensation with Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” where her reported $2 million-per-episode package includes her work as both star and executive producer.
- Reese Witherspoon — “The Morning Show” — Reported $2 Million Per Episode
- Reese Witherspoon — “Little Fires Everywhere” — $1.1 Million Per Episode
- Reese Witherspoon — “Big Little Lies” — $1 Million Per Episode
Reese Witherspoon has reached the seven-figure threshold on at least three series. She earned roughly $1 million per episode for “Big Little Lies,” about $1.1 million for “Little Fires Everywhere,” and has been reported as high as $2 million per episode for “The Morning Show.” Producing compensation is part of several of those packages.
- Kerry Washington — “Little Fires Everywhere” — $1.1 Million Per Episode
Kerry Washington earned a reported $1.1 million per episode for starring in and executive producing Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere.”
- Nicole Kidman — “Big Little Lies” / “Nine Perfect Strangers” — $1 Million Per Episode
Nicole Kidman has reached the $1 million-per-episode level on multiple prestige television projects. She earned seven figures for “Big Little Lies” and was again reported at roughly $1 million per episode for Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,” where she also served as a producer.
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- Steve Carell — “Space Force” — $1 Million Per Episode
Steve Carell was paid roughly $1 million per episode to star in Netflix’s “Space Force.” He also co-created the series with “The Office” producer Greg Daniels and served as an executive producer.
- Will Ferrell — “The Shrink Next Door” — $1 Million Per Episode
- Paul Rudd — “The Shrink Next Door” — $1 Million Per Episode
Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd each earned a reported $1 million per episode for Apple TV+’s dark comedy “The Shrink Next Door.”
- Sarah Jessica Parker — “Sex and the City” — Reported $3.2 Million Per Episode
Sarah Jessica Parker’s later “Sex and the City” compensation stands apart from almost every other deal on this list. After becoming a producer, Parker was reported to earn $3.2 million per episode during the final three seasons. Across 46 episodes, that would equal roughly $147 million.
Parker later returned to seven-figure episodic compensation on “And Just Like That…”
- Cynthia Nixon — “And Just Like That…” — Reported $1 Million+ Per Episode
- Kristin Davis — “And Just Like That…” — Reported $1 Million+ Per Episode
Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis were each reported to earn at least $1 million per episode when they reunited with Parker for “And Just Like That…” Both also served as executive producers.
- Norman Reedus — “The Walking Dead” — $1 Million Per Episode
Norman Reedus starred on “The Walking Dead” from 2010 to 2022. At the peak of the show’s run, his compensation reached roughly $1 million per episode.
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau — “Game of Thrones” Season 8 — $1.067 Million Per Episode
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s “Game of Thrones” compensation is unusually well documented because his contract details surfaced in court records. He earned $1,066,667 per episode for the six-episode final season.
Seven-figure final-season salaries were also widely reported for several other members of the show’s principal cast, including Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey. Those figures are less firmly documented, so Coster-Waldau’s salary is the one we can state with the greatest confidence.
- Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki & Kaley Cuoco — “The Big Bang Theory” — $1 Million Per Episode
- Simon Helberg & Kunal Nayyar — “The Big Bang Theory” — $1 Million Per Episode At Their Peak
Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco jumped from roughly $350,000 to $1 million per episode beginning with Season 8. Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar subsequently reached salary parity, putting all five principal stars at the $1 million level by Season 10.
Before Seasons 11 and 12, the five actors voluntarily cut their salaries to roughly $900,000 per episode so that Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch could receive substantial raises.
- Charlie Sheen — “Two and a Half Men” — $1.25 Million Base / Roughly $1.8 Million With Backend
Charlie Sheen is often described as having earned $1.8 million per episode during his final season of “Two and a Half Men.” His actual base acting salary was closer to $1.25 million, with expected rerun participation pushing his total compensation toward $1.8 million per episode.
- James Gandolfini — “The Sopranos” — $1 Million Per Episode
James Gandolfini’s salary negotiations became so contentious that production of “The Sopranos” was briefly delayed. HBO ultimately agreed to pay him roughly $1 million per episode, approximately doubling his previous salary.
- Ray Romano — “Everybody Loves Raymond” — At Least $1.8 Million Per Episode
Ray Romano’s landmark deal paid him at least $1.8 million per episode, making him television’s highest-paid actor at the time and surpassing Kelsey Grammer’s record-setting “Frasier” salary.
A contemporary salary survey put Romano’s compensation in the $1.8 million-to-$2 million range before any additional producing or syndication income.
- The Cast Of “Friends” — $1 Million Each Per Episode
During the early seasons of “Friends,” the six principal actors were paid different amounts. Beginning with negotiations for Season 3, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer began bargaining collectively.
Their salaries climbed together until each was making $1 million per episode for Seasons 9 and 10. Even more importantly, the cast negotiated backend participation in the series, giving them a share of its long-term licensing revenue.
- Kelsey Grammer — “Frasier” — $1.6 Million Per Episode
Kelsey Grammer earned $1.6 million per episode during the final years of “Frasier,” giving him the television acting-salary record until Romano surpassed him.
The figure was especially lucrative in the era of 20-plus-episode network seasons, allowing Grammer to earn well over $30 million from a full season of acting salary alone.
- Tim Allen — “Home Improvement” — $1.25 Million Per Episode
Tim Allen earned $1.25 million per episode for the final season of “Home Improvement.” The payday was particularly remarkable considering that the hit sitcom had been his first major acting job.
- Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt — “Mad About You” — $1 Million Each Per Episode
Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt each earned $1 million per episode for the final season of “Mad About You,” putting them among the first television performers to join the seven-figure club after Jerry Seinfeld established the benchmark.
- Jerry Seinfeld — “Seinfeld” — $1 Million Per Episode
Jerry Seinfeld became television’s first million-dollar-per-episode actor in 1997, earning $1 million for each episode of the ninth and final season of “Seinfeld.”
NBC was reportedly willing to pay dramatically more if he agreed to make a tenth season, but Seinfeld chose to end the series. His co-stars Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards were earning roughly $500,000 per episode by the end of the show.
More importantly for Jerry’s eventual fortune, his $1 million acting salary was only a small piece of the economics. His ownership interest in “Seinfeld” would ultimately make the show’s syndication and streaming value worth vastly more than his episodic paychecks.
