TV Stars Earning $1 Million Per Episode: Jennifer Aniston and Others

The casts of Friends, Sex and the City, and Two and a Half Men revolutionized the television industry by earning over $1 million per episode in their iconic series.

In the past, television was perceived as inferior to major Hollywood films, but the 1990s marked a turning point with the emergence of mega-sitcoms that demanded exorbitant salaries for their star power.

The explosion of streaming options has further increased production budgets, allowing stars like Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, and Reese Witherspoon to command record fees for their new projects.

Continue reading to discover some of the highest-paid actors in TV history, featuring many unexpected names:

Sex and the City

Sarah Jessica Parker’s appointment as the executive producer of Sex and the City, alongside her role as the lead actress, led to a significant increase in her earnings. Reports indicate that by the show’s conclusion, HBO was compensating SJP more than $3 million per episode.

Her financial success continued with the spin-off movie franchise, where Parker reportedly earned $15 million for the first film and $20 million for the sequel. When Parker, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis returned for the revival series And Just Like That…, they each earned $10 million for a 10-episode season.

Michael Patrick King, the executive producer of Sex and the City, spoke about Parker’s crucial role in the show’s success on the “Origins” podcast in 2018.

“The show doesn’t exist if Sarah Jessica wasn’t the blonde star of the show, that’s No. 1,” he stated. “Kim [Cattrall] was not at the height of her career; Kristin was less known; Cynthia was a theater actress — and their contracts reflected that status.”

He also reflected, “As the series evolved, the characters grew into a family. Kristin, Cynthia, and Sarah Jessica became a tight-knit group, while Kim never fully joined mentally. Kristin and Cynthia embraced the spotlight, understanding it was Sarah Jessica’s name that drew audiences.”

The Morning Show

Former Friends co-stars Aniston and Witherspoon reunited in 2019 for Apple TV+’s flagship drama series The Morning Show, in which they portrayed rival co-anchors on a news program.

In 2019, reports indicated Apple invested $15 million per episode in a $300 million deal for the first two seasons. Aniston and Witherspoon each pocketed $2 million per episode for their roles and executive production on The Morning Show.

The hefty investment from Apple paid off, leading to the series receiving 27 Emmy Award nominations and becoming the platform’s second-most-watched show, following Ted Lasso. Apple has since renewed The Morning Show for a fourth season.

Witherspoon expressed her confusion over the backlash regarding her and Aniston’s salaries during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“There seemed to be resentment, as if we weren’t deserving or it was an issue, and I thought, ‘Why is that an issue?’” she recalled.

“I can assure you that these companies are very smart, and if they agreed to pay us, it’s for good reason. They most likely had numerous lawyers and financial experts determine that figure, as they knew they would earn back more than that. Do people feel upset when Kobe Bryant or LeBron James secure big contracts?”

Two and a Half Men

Charlie Sheen’s lucrative contract of $2 million per episode for CBS’s Two and a Half Men made his public spat with the show’s co-creator, Chuck Lorre, in 2011 particularly shocking.

Sheen stopped reporting to work and even called for a 50% pay increase, prompting Lorre and CBS to terminate his contract and ban him from the production lot. Ashton Kutcher was then brought in to take over the role for the remaining four seasons of Two and a Half Men.

Sheen acknowledged in a 2023 Deadline interview that the show could have continued for a decade had he not “screwed everything up.”

“We could have continued indefinitely,” he expressed. “While they say not to dwell on regrets, it’s important to acknowledge them and learn from experience. Well…”

The actor confessed he “knew the expectations” for starring in a sitcom from the beginning but lost sight of them as Two and a Half Men achieved greater popularity.

“It’s like we train all week, and then Friday night is game night where you play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back,” he remarked. “Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself that the rules didn’t apply to me, which was unfair to the established system.”

Everybody Loves Raymond

In the final two seasons of Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, Ray Romano emerged as the highest-paid actor on television, earning $1.8 million per episode, amounting to nearly $40 million per season. This eclipsed the previous record held by Kelsey Grammer, who was paid $1.6 million per episode for Frasier.

Romano demonstrated his commitment to his craft by accepting a far lower fee to appear on Parenthood in its fourth season in 2012. The actor revealed to TV Insider that he offered to take a pay cut simply because he admired the NBC family drama.

“I was a fan of Parenthood, and I reached out to Jason Katims to express my interest in being part of it,” he said. “After season 3 concluded, I sent him an email saying, ‘Congrats.’ Jokingly, I added, ‘My show, Men of a Certain Age, got canceled… I’m available.’ He replied, ‘We could never afford you.’ I said, ‘Yes, you can. Just speak to me directly; I’ll ensure it fits your budget.’

“A week later, my agent told me, ‘Did you really tell Jason Katims you’d work for less?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I did.’ At that moment, I wasn’t prioritizing money; it was about being a fan and gaining experience. And what a fantastic experience it was.”

Frasier

Kelsey Grammer once held the title of the highest-paid actor on television, earning $1.6 million per episode for Frasier, which was a spin-off of Cheers. This figure rose to around $2 million during the short-lived revival of Frasier on Paramount+ in 2023.

In a 2024 Toronto Star interview, Grammer expressed hope that the new Frasier would run for a decade.

“That’s a bit of a wishful thinking statement, I suppose,” he acknowledged.

Regrettably for Grammer, Paramount canceled the Frasier revival in January 2025. He has since sought to find another streaming service to revive the show.

“I believe there is a more suitable home for it,” Grammer stated to The New York Post in March 2025. “It seems they tried their best but lacked passion for the project, as evidenced by their minimal promotion and effort.”

The Terminal List

Chris Pratt is not only earning significant income from his leading roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Super Mario franchises, but also from his Prime Video series The Terminal List.

Variety reported in August 2021 that Pratt was making an astonishing $1.4 million per episode for this action thriller series.

Based on Jack Carr’s novel of the same name, The Terminal List features Pratt as a former Navy SEAL dealing with haunting memories of his platoon’s deaths. Within two weeks of its premiere, the show ranked among Prime Video’s Top 10 streaming offerings.

In February 2023, Amazon further invested in The Terminal List by renewing it for a second season and initiating a prequel series centering on Taylor Kitsch’s character.

Home Improvement

Tim Allen earned $1.25 million in the final season of Home Improvement, but it was his high salary that ultimately played a role in the show’s cancellation.

His co-star Patricia Richardson disclosed in a 2024 interview with The Los Angeles Times that she learned ABC had offered Allen $2 million per episode for a potential ninth season, nearly double what they proposed for her.

Richardson was prepared for Home Improvement to conclude; thus, she compelled ABC’s hand by demanding the same salary as Allen to return.

“I knew that Disney wouldn’t approach me with that kind of offer. It was my way of saying ‘no’ and a bit of a message to Disney,” she clarified. “I had been loyal to the show and felt I deserved better compensation, given that I played a huge role in attracting audiences.”

Ultimately, ABC chose not to meet Richardson’s demands, leading to the end of Home Improvement in 1999.

Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld was among the few television stars to step away from a successful series during its apex, pocketing $1 million per episode.

Seinfeld revealed during a 2013 appearance on The Howard Stern Show that NBC was eager for him to sign on for a 10th season and offered him $110 million.

“I could have commanded even more than that,” he admitted, stating: “The connection between the show’s creators and the audience was invaluable, and I had to honor that.”

He added, “I couldn’t let it reach a stage of decline, which happens quickly.”

The series finale of Seinfeld, titled “The Finale,” drew an astonishing 75 million viewers on May 14, 1998.

Friends

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer each earned $1 million per episode during the last two seasons of Friends from 2002 to 2004.

The six main cast members strategically negotiated a joint salary agreement with NBC to ensure equal pay, effectively removing any chance of jealousy among them.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2021, Aniston emphasized that equal pay was essential, stating that they were “all contributing equally.”

“We unanimously believed it was critical for everyone involved to receive equal compensation, and we were aligned in that sentiment,” Cox concurred. “Our solidarity as a cast was unprecedented, likely causing concern for productions in the future.”

The Big Bang Theory

Similar to the Friends cast, Big Bang stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco agreed in 2014 to a lucrative contract of $1 million per half-hour episode for seasons 8 through 10.

When the trio renegotiated with CBS in 2017, they and their co-stars Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg chose to take a $100,000 cut in pay per episode to enable significant raises for their colleagues Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch.

Parsons ultimately departed The Big Bang Theory in 2018, leaving Galecki and the rest of the cast feeling “blindsided” by his decision.

“I was surprised; we felt blindsided that day,” Galecki remarked. “Not so much shocked by Jim’s choice, but more that he hadn’t discussed it with his colleagues beforehand. It could have certainly been handled better. We were a family, thus communication was key. While I empathize with how Jim felt, I shared similar sentiments, I just disagreed with the manner in which it was managed.”

Though The Big Bang Theory concluded in 2019, its legacy persists with the prequel Young Sheldon, its spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, and the upcoming companion show Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, featuring BBT cast members Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, and Brian Posehn.

Ted Lasso

In 2021, reports suggested that Sudeikis secured a substantial pay raise to $1 million per episode for the third season of the Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso.

Season three was originally intended as the conclusion for the Emmy-winning series, but Sudeikis affirmed on the “New Heights” podcast in March 2025 that the show will return.

“We’re in the process of writing season 4 now. That’s the current plan,” he disclosed to host Travis Kelce.

He further hinted, “Ted will be coaching a women’s team. So, that’s in the pipeline.”

Matt Chernis, head of programming at Apple TV+, later announced, “Ted Lasso has been a phenomenal success, inspiring a passionate fanbase worldwide while bringing endless joy, humor, and messages of kindness, compassion, and unwavering faith. Everyone at Apple is excited to continue our collaboration with Jason and the incredibly talented team behind this show.”