Britney Spears has been hard at work since she was a teenager, but that didn’t stop her from joining the cast of X Factor as a judge. In 2012, Spears made $15 million for the entire season. That puts her at about $536,000 per episode. Even though Spears doesn’t need the money, she’s certainly happy to take it. She deserves it!
The star has created a successful career for herself and can now lean back and reap the benefits of her famous name. Despite all of the personal troubles she has gone through over the years, Britney is still beloved around the world by millions of fans.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – $650,000
Even though he started his career as one of the most famous wrestlers in WWE history, Johnson became a household name by showing off his impressive acting chops. In addition to his many movie roles, Johnson starred in the HBO show "Ballers." For his work on the series, Johnson makes $650,000 per episode.
In addition to his role in Ballers, Johnson has also made his way to the big screen in movies like "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," "Moana," and "The Fast & The Furious" franchise. Let's be real here, Dwayne Johnson is never going to do a project for free until the day he drops dead.
Will Smith – $50,000
Before he starred in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," Will Smith made a name for himself in the entertainment world as a rapper. He was then cast as The Fresh Prince, where he made about $50,000 per episode after taxes. His real income was much higher since roughly 70% of his salary was taken by the IRS.
Will Smith may have given most of his money to the government, but there’s no need to worry about him. He went on to have a successful career in Hollywood and still commonly stars in today’s blockbuster hits. Despite his slap incident at the Oscars, it seems like Smith will continue to be a movie star.
Tea Leoni – $125,000
In the political drama "Madam Secretary," Tea Leoni plays Elizabeth McCord. Before she starred on television, however, she also made a name for herself by snagging roles in "Deep Impact" and "Jurassic Park III." Truth be told, Leoni was a well-established actress on the big screen before she even led her own TV show. So she was well within her rights to command a big paycheck when "Madam Secretary" came around.
While playing Elizabeth, Leoni makes $125,000 per episode. Her paycheck is significantly less than other female stars like Julie Louis-Dreyfus on Seinfeld, but it’s definitely nothing to scoff at.
Chance the Rapper – $500,000
There is no denying that Chance the Rapper is, first and foremost, a rapper, before he's a TV star. Formally named Chancelor Jonathan Bennett, he has found massive success in his career in recent years. He makes a killing performing and recording his music, and he even won a Grammy for his work. Recently, Chance also joined the cast of "Rhythm + Flow," a Netflix music competition program.
His fellow castmates, including T.I. and Cardi B, judge aspiring rappers and eventually choose a winner. For his work on the series as a judge, Chance has been paid $500,000 per episode.