Jerry Seinfeld was a big deal in comedy, in part due to the show named after him. “Seinfeld” was big while it was on the air, but it also ran dozens of successful re-runs that raked in the viewers, making it one of the most viewed TV shows of all time.
By the final season, it was estimated that one in ten Americans watched Seinfeld. To reflect that success, Jerry Seinfeld earned $1 million per episode. When the series finished, NBC was so desperate to keep Seinfeld on board that they offered him $5 million per episode, which he declined.
Jason Momoa – $600,000
While the characters who made it all the way through "Game of Thrones" earned millions of dollars per episode, Jason Momoa wasn’t one of the lucky stars to escape death. When the series was still new, Momoa starred as Khal Drogo, a character that vaulted him to fame.
Unfortunately, Drogo died in the first season. Momoa didn’t stop, however, and now stars in a new Apple TV+ show called "See." For his work on this new series, Momoa made $600,000 per episode. It’s not $2 million, but it’s certainly something. And of course, Momoa did pretty well in the "Aquaman" film series.
Meryl Streep — $825,000
While TV actors used to be in an entirely different class than film actors, those lines are blurring. As streaming services become more popular, most are looking for big-name actors to draw an audience to their original content. Although it hasn’t been released yet, Meryl Streep is set to star in a new series called The Nix.
The show is based on a novel adapted for TV by J.J. Abrams. As one of the most well-respected actresses in the world, it comes as no surprise that Streep made $825,000 per episode for her work on the show.
Ryan Seacrest – $652,000
While many celebrities will pursue multiple options on the small screen, Ryan Seacrest is pretty comfortable being just a host. He’s incredibly good at his job, which has made him a hot commodity in the TV space. From 2013-2016, Seacrest made $15 million per season hosting "American Idol."
In the 2014 season, there were 23 episodes of the musical competition show. That means Seacrest made $652,000 per episode. Why would he want to be anything but a host if he can make money like that? For someone on this list who wasn't even an actor, Seacrest has brought home the bacon over the years!
Patrick Stewart – $750,000
Patrick Stewart first entered the collective consciousness when he starred as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." After that role, he branched out into many illustrious characters, including Professor X in "X-Men."
Now, Stewart is reprising his role as Picard in the new 2020 series "Star Trek: Picard." Since it’s nearly impossible to imagine any other actor playing this role, Stewart makes $750,000 per episode. It pays to make yourself indispensable! Stewart also excited Marvel fans around the world when he reprised the role of Professor X in the film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness."