Selena Gomez Among Top-Paid TV Stars as Streaming Salaries Hold Up

Selena Gomez is among the television stars reported to be earning well above $1 million per episode, according to a Variety report on the highest TV salaries. The figure places her among a small group of marquee names whose pay has held up as film work slows and streaming services compete for well-known faces. Variety said she is one of the stars of "Only Murders in the Building," which is entering its sixth season.

Who is at the top of the pay scale

Variety reported that Sylvester Stallone is believed to be earning about $2 million per episode for "Tulsa King" on Paramount+. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon were each reported to be paid around $2 million per episode for Apple TV's "The Morning Show." Chris Pratt's reported $2 million per episode comes from Prime Video's "The Terminal List," according to The Daily Beast, which cited the same Variety list.

Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short are described as easily clearing more than $1 million per episode for "Only Murders in the Building." Jennifer Garner is reported to have crossed the same threshold for Peacock's "The Five-Star Weekend."

Why streaming is paying top dollar

Variety quoted talent agents saying that networks need stars who can anchor series. One agent said it used to be unheard of for someone to earn $2 million per episode. The shift has also been helped by shorter seasons. Orders of 6, 8 or 10 episodes are less demanding than the 22-episode seasons common in the broadcast era, which has drawn established stars to streaming.

Apple is seen as the most competitive payer, with HBO and Amazon also in the mix, according to the report. Peacock has shown it will pay more than $1 million per episode for certain talent, while Paramount+ has offered similar sums to some leads on Taylor Sheridan and 101 Studios shows. Variety described Disney as more cautious with spending, and said FX is focusing more on material than on high-paid names.

Changing rules and a tougher market for others

Variety reported that California's ban on the "actor's quote," which used an earlier salary as a baseline, has helped narrow pay gaps, with women and minority actors now able to negotiate more. The same report said mid-level actors have a harder time than in the broadcast era, when working steadily across pilots and series was more common. Shorter orders have also led networks and studios to relax exclusivity clauses, letting stars take on more than one series.

Variety also noted that some broadcast networks are returning to scripted shows with established names, offering leads $250,000 to $350,000 per episode at the start. Pay figures for individual stars are generally reported by trade outlets and have not been confirmed by the studios or the actors involved.

What we know so far

The figures come from a Variety list of TV salaries, and other outlets have repeated them. Pay for Gomez is described as easily exceeding $1 million per episode, but no exact contract amount has been published. As "Only Murders in the Building" enters Season 6, the show's lead cast is likely to remain among the most closely watched examples of the current TV pay market.