Bryan Cranston has been a fixture in the entertainment world for quite a long time. In the 90s and 2000s, he starred in classics like “Seinfeld” and “Malcolm in the Middle.” But his role in “Breaking Bad” really skyrocketed his popularity. Still, “Breaking Bad” wasn’t Cranston’s most notable role from a payment perspective.
He currently makes $700,000 per episode on the Showtime series “Your Honor.” That’s more than he was paid while filming “Breaking Bad,” though his ultra-successful role in the series probably contributed to his higher pay. Cranston also reprised the role of Walter White on “Better Call Saul.”
Mariah Carey - $486,000
Mariah Carey is known for being a diva. In fact, she might be the most famous diva in the world. If you want Mariah Carey involved in your show, you should expect to pay quite a lot of money. When Carey agreed to be a judge for "American Idol," she was paid $18 million dollars for the whole season.
That amounted to roughly $486,000 per episode. It was still significantly less than Katy Pery’s salary, but it was a hefty paycheck nonetheless. Carey certainly has a healthy bank account - especially since she has been in and out of the world of pop for the last 30+ years.
Ashton Kutcher – $755,000
Charlie Sheen may have been fired from "Two and a Half Men," but the producers weren’t willing to call it quits on the series just because they lost one of their main stars. Sheen was replaced by Ashton Kutcher, who made a whopping $755,000 per episode.
Although Kutcher joined the series late, he still managed to make more than his co-star Jon Cryer, a member of the original cast. However, Kutcher did make less than Sheen, who reportedly raked in over a million dollars per episode for his work. Of course, Kutcher was already familiar with the TV world having been one of the leads on "That 70s Show."
Hugh Laurie – $700,000
This British actor has long had a career in entertainment. While Hugh Laurie’s breakout role was playing an assortment of characters in the classic comedy series, “Blackadder,” more recently Laurie is known for his main role in “House.” Laurie starred as Dr. Gregory House, a complex character who’s quick-witted but that’s not enough to save himself from putting his foot in it sometimes.
While his character was making all sorts of misguided approaches and errors, Laurie made no errors when he joined this series. Over time, the actor’s salary went from earning $300,000 per episode to $700,000 when the show reached its height of popularity. We’re pretty sure even Prince Regent (Laurie’s dim-witted character in “Blackadder: The Third) would figure out Laurie had stumbled on a goldmine.
Shailene Woodley – $500,000
Starring alongside A-listers like Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in HBO’s thriller “Big Little Lies,” Shailene Woodley proved herself a capable actress: capable of acting with the best. Before “Big Little Lies,” Woodley had put together an impressive resume with main roles in the “Divergent” series and “The Fault in Our Stars.”
It seems like acting was very much written in Woodley’s stars as her role in the “Big Little Lies” brought her a small fortune. In Season 1, Woodley reportedly earned $242,000 per episode. Thanks to the show’s massive popularity, in Season 2, Woodley’s salary had a massive raise, earning between $300,000 and $500,000 per episode. Interestingly, that was the amount Woodley earned for each “Divergent” film. Clearly, Woodley’s come a long way.