Question Asked: Who is the Highest Paid Actor on Television?

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May 27th, 2008

Great question, and a surprising list of actors when I did the research on this.

The answers would be different if the question was “highest paid person on television”, which is Oprah (at $225 million a year)

Actors, however, tell a different tale:

  1. William Petersen (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) – $11.5 million ($500, 000 per episode)
  2. Charlie Sheen (“Two and a Half Men”) – $8.05 million
  3. Mariska Hargitay (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) – $8.05 million
  4. Christopher Meloni (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) – $8.05 million
  5. Zach Braff (“Scrubs”) – $6.3 million
  6. Hugh Laurie (“House MD”) – $6.2 million

Now, there’s another person who one could argue is an “actor”, that makes more than everyone on that list.  Judge Judy.  Judge Judy gets a reported $30 million per year, including the rights for syndication of her show to over 80 countries.    Which not only puts her number two on the list of television personalities, but also puts her atop the list of judges’ annual incomes.

And, since you asked, here’s the highest paid actors in movies, as well:

  1. Keavnu Reeves (The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions) – $20 million + 15% of gross profits, totaling $185 million
  2. Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense) – $14 million + 14% of gross profits, totaling $103 million
  3. Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds) – 20% of gross profits, totaling $100 million
  4. Bruce Willis (Live Free or Die Hard) – $25 million + 20% of gross profits, totaling $96 million
  5. Tom Cruis (Mission Impossible: II) – $20 million + 30% of gross profits, totaling $92 million

Not bad for a couple months’ work, huh?

Other answers you may find useful:


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