Hollywood pay revealed: From $20million a film to $25.50 an hour, how much stars, camera operators and everyone else in Tinseltown is paid

  • Biggest film stars - like Jennifer Lawrence - are taking home about $20m a movie
  • In TV, stars like The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons are getting $900k an episode
  • Microphone boom operators, however, earn between $37k and $120k a year
  • Camera operators get between $25.50 an hour and $154k a year for bigger films

By Iain Burns For Mailonline

Published: 05:29 EDT, 29 September 2017 | Updated: 09:06 EDT, 29 September 2017

The salaries of Hollywood's mightiest stars - and lowliest production staff - have been revealed.

Despite relatively straitened times in La La Land, paypackets for reliable megastars like Jennifer Lawrence remain enormous - with the Hunger Games actress reportedly receiving $20million (£15m) for upcoming thriller Red Sparrow.

Also included in the highest bracket are the likes of Will Smith (for Bright) and Dwayne Johnson (for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle). 

Paypackets for reliable megastars like Jennifer Lawrence remain enormous - with the Hunger Games actress reportedly receiving $20million for upcoming thriller Red Sparrow
The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons (pictured) and Johnny Galecki each took home about $900,000 an episode

High: Paypackets for reliable megastars like Jennifer Lawrence (left) remain enormous - with the Hunger Games actress reportedly receiving $20million for upcoming thriller Red Sparrow. Right: The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons (right) and Johnny Galecki each took home about $900,000 an episode

Jennifer Lawrence enjoyed major success with the Hunger Games films. Pictured: A promotional picture for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II 

Jennifer Lawrence enjoyed major success with the Hunger Games films. Pictured: A promotional picture for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part II 

Not far behind the top TV earners are the likes of Kevin Spacey - netting $500,000 (£374k) for every House of Cards episode - and the main Game of Thrones stars, who earn about the same

Not far behind the top TV earners are the likes of Kevin Spacey - netting $500,000 (£374k) for every House of Cards episode - and the main Game of Thrones stars, who earn about the same

Also included in the highest bracket are the likes of Will Smith
Dwayne Johnson

Also included in the highest bracket are the likes of Will Smith (left) and Dwayne Johnson (right)

In TV, the biggest payouts were for the likes of The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki, who each took home about $900,000 (£670k) an episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

But not far behind are the likes of Kevin Spacey - earning $500,000 (£374k) for every House of Cards episode - and the main Game of Thrones stars, who earn about the same. 

In Hollywood, however, there are grades of pay - as in any industry. 

In film, the middle bracket of stars can expect to earn less than $3million (£2.3m) per production.

Emma Watson reportedly earned a relatively modest $3million for her performance in Beauty and the Beast
Game of Thrones actress Indira Varma, who picked up $55,000 for every episode

Middle: Emma Watson (pictured left) reportedly earned a relatively modest $3million for her performance in Beauty and the Beast, while Jessica Chastain was given $700,000 for Woman Walks Ahead. Right: Game of Thrones actress Indira Varma, who picked up $55,000 for every episode

At the lower end of the middle tier was Jessica Chastain, who was given $700,000 (£524k) for Woman Walks Ahead. Pictured: The star in The Huntsman: Winter's War

At the lower end of the middle tier was Jessica Chastain, who was given $700,000 (£524k) for Woman Walks Ahead. Pictured: The star in The Huntsman: Winter's War

Emma Watson reportedly earned a relatively modest $3million (£2.3m) for her performance in Beauty and the Beast, while Jessica Chastain was given $700,000 (£524k) for Woman Walks Ahead. 

But don't feel too much pity - Watson apparently collected a total of about $20million (£15m) after the film raked in over a $1billion (£750m) at the box office. 

Most surprising is who can be found in the bottom bracket of Hollywood's pay hierarchy. 

Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot was the driving force behind a movie that earned over $800million (£600m) at theaters - but she was paid about $150,000 (£112k). 

This is because she - like Man of Steel star Henry Cavill - is new to Hollywood and was starring in her first big productions.

Returning to TV, middling pay is picked up by the likes of Game of Thrones actress Indira Varma.

She was given $55,000 (£41k) for every episode.

Bottom of the pile were - remarkably - some of the biggest stars of recent TV. 

The child actors from Stranger Things, which was a huge success for Netflix, reportedly took home a fairly modest $30,000 (£22k) for each episode they appeared in. 

Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot was the driving force behind a movie that earned over $800million at theaters - but she was paid about $150,000
The child actors Stranger Things, which was a huge success for Netflix, reportedly took home a fairly modest $30,000 for each episode they appeared in. But the youngsters can expect bigger salaries in the future - particularly Millie Bobby Brown (pictured), who won enormous praise for her portrayal of 'Eleven'

Bottom: Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot (left) was the driving force behind a movie that earned over $800million at theaters - but she was paid about $150,000. The child actors Stranger Things, which was a huge success for Netflix, reportedly took home a fairly modest $30,000 for each episode they appeared in. But the youngsters can expect bigger salaries in the future - particularly Millie Bobby Brown (right), who won enormous praise for her portrayal of 'Eleven'

Gal - like Man of Steel star Henry Cavill - is new to Hollywood and was starring in her first big productions, which explains her lower salary

Gal - like Man of Steel star Henry Cavill - is new to Hollywood and was starring in her first big productions, which explains her lower salary

The youngsters can expect bigger salaries in the future, however. Pictured: Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, and Gaten Matarazzo from the hit show 

The youngsters can expect bigger salaries in the future, however. Pictured: Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, and Gaten Matarazzo from the hit show 

But the youngsters can expect bigger salaries in the future - particularly Millie Bobby Brown, who won enormous praise for her portrayal of 'Eleven'.   

Not everyone in Tinseltown is taking home such stratospheric remuneration, however. 

The people who allow the multi-million dollar stars to be heard - microphone boom operators - earn between $37,000 (£28k) and $120,000 (£90k) a year.  

Makeup artists often earn between $37,000 (£28k) and $75,000 (£56k) a year - with the biggest names getting $124,000 (£93k) for blockbuster productions.

Camera operators, meanwhile, get between $25.50 (£17) an hour and $154,000 (£115k) a year for bigger films.

TOP TO BOTTOM DOLLAR: HOLLYWOOD PAY GRADES

MOVIE STARS:

Top dollar: The $15-20m club is not as crowded as it used to be in the 1990s but Jennifer Lawrence, Dwayne Johnson and Roberty Downey Jr. are still making this kind of cash.

Middle dollar: Emma Watson was 'only' paid $3m upfront for her star turn in Beauty and the Beast - but due to the film's $1bn-plus gross - she ended up with $20m in backends. This is the new trend now in Hollywood - essentially paying stars on commission.

Bottom dollar: Despite appearing in this summer's hit, Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot only took home $150,000 - with Henry Cavill bringing home a similar sum for Man of Steel. These stars will hope the mega-success of their movie will act as a springboard

PRODUCERS:

Top dollar: The age of the mega-producers may have passed-somewhat, but David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman will have earned a minimum $2m upfront for Beauty and the Beast and with profits off the top made another $20m.

Middle dollar: A competent film producer in Hollywood can expect to earn $750,000 to $1m a film.

Bottom dollar: Producer Guild minimums state that the lowest a producer can make on a project is $250,000

AGENTS:

Top dollar: The only Ari Gold's in Hollywood today are William Morris CEO Ari Emanuel and CAA's Richard Lovett - who can earn almost $40m annually.

Middle dollar: An average agent can earn anywhere between $300,000 to $500,000 a year

Bottom dollar: New starters will take home up to $60,000 annually at the very best

DIRECTOR:

Top dollar: Household names like Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg will earn up to $20m a movie

Middle dollar: The female director of Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins, got $1m for the film. It was a hit and she has now moved into the top bracket and will be getting $8-9m for the sequel.

Bottom dollar: New directors such as Jordan Vogt-Roberts will have taken home $750,000 for Kong: Skull Island.

BOOM OPERATOR:

Top dollar: Microphone holders can make up to $120,000

Middle dollar: They will take home $72,000 a year

Bottom dollar: They will make $37,000 a year

TV HOST:

Top dollar: Pat Sajak makes $15m a year for Wheel of Fortune and Ryan Seacrest gets $12m a year for his hosting duties on ABC

Middle dollar: Alec Baldwin will get $3m for ABC's new Match Game

Bottom dollar: The Travel Channel's hosts are on around $40,000 an episode

STUDIO CHIEF:

Top dollar: Disney's Alan Horn and Fox's Stacey Snider are bringing home around $20m with their base salary plus stocks and bonuses.

Middle dollar: Sony president of worldwide marketing and distribution Josh Greenstein makes $2m a year

Bottom dollar: Studio heads of a niche division like Fox Searchlight will be on $1m a year

TV STAR:

Top dollar: The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons will be on around $20m a season or around $900,000 an episode.

Middle dollar: Mandy Moore from This is Us will earn up to $100,000 a year.

Bottom dollar: The kids from Stranger Things such as Millie Bobby Brown will have taken home around $30,000 an episode

SHOWRUNNER:

Top dollar: Shonda Rhimes who created Grey's Anatomy and Scandal will make $20m a year.

Middle dollar: Game of Thrones' David Benioff and D.B Weiss will make $300,000 an episode.

Bottom dollar: Showrunners who have just started on the ladder will be taking home about $40,000 an episode.

SCREENWRITER:

Top dollar: Aaron Sorkin of The West Wing fame can expect to make $5m for his latest project.

Middle dollar: The writers behind the new Jumanji film, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg were paid $1m each

Bottom dollar: Industry minimums are $72,600 for an original script and $63,500 for an adaptation.

CAMERA OPERATOR:

Top dollar: Blockbuster camera operators get $150,000 a year.

Middle dollar: Average earners are on $1,833 a week

Bottom dollar: Around $25.50 an hour

 

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