I’ve been reading about the Empire cast and was surprised by how much some of them made per episode. I knew the show was popular, but I didn’t realize that actors like Taraji P. Henson made $175,000 for each episode. What do you all think? Were these salaries justified considering the show’s success?
I think Taraji P. Henson deserved every penny! She really carried that show with her performance as Cookie. Without her, Empire wouldn’t have been nearly as popular.
Aspen said:
I think Taraji P. Henson deserved every penny! She really carried that show with her performance as Cookie. Without her, Empire wouldn’t have been nearly as popular.
Totally agree! Cookie Lyon was such an iconic character, and she really made the show what it was.
Aspen said:
I think Taraji P. Henson deserved every penny! She really carried that show with her performance as Cookie. Without her, Empire wouldn’t have been nearly as popular.
Taraji was definitely a fan favorite, but $175,000 per episode is a lot. I wonder if the other actors were getting similar pay.
@Tegan
I read that Terrence Howard was making around $125,000 per episode in the beginning. By the final season, he was getting $325,000 per episode, so not too far off from what Taraji made.
I’m surprised that Jussie Smollett was getting $125,000 per episode before the scandal. That’s a lot for someone who wasn’t a main lead.
Ezra said:
I’m surprised that Jussie Smollett was getting $125,000 per episode before the scandal. That’s a lot for someone who wasn’t a main lead.
Yeah, but he did have a pretty big role in the earlier seasons. His character had a lot of emotional scenes and some great musical performances.
@Shawn
True, he was really good in the beginning. It’s just a shame how things ended for him.
Terrence Howard suing for more money is crazy. $125,000 per episode is already a lot, but $325,000 by the end? That’s some serious cash. I wonder how much the show actually made in total.
Darcy said:
Terrence Howard suing for more money is crazy. $125,000 per episode is already a lot, but $325,000 by the end? That’s some serious cash. I wonder how much the show actually made in total.
The show was a huge hit, especially in its first few seasons. I remember reading somewhere that it made over $120 million in ad revenue each year at its peak.
@Rey
That’s crazy money! I guess when you’re bringing in that much cash, paying the actors that much doesn’t seem so bad.
What happened to Bryshere Y. Gray? He was pretty popular as Hakeem, but I haven’t seen him in anything else recently.
Dezi said:
What happened to Bryshere Y. Gray? He was pretty popular as Hakeem, but I haven’t seen him in anything else recently.
He had some legal trouble after Empire ended. I think it really hurt his career, which is unfortunate because he was so talented as a rapper and actor.
Gabourey Sidibe only making $5,000 per episode is surprising, given how good she was in her role. But it seems like she’s doing well outside of Empire too.
Harley said:
Gabourey Sidibe only making $5,000 per episode is surprising, given how good she was in her role. But it seems like she’s doing well outside of Empire too.
Yeah, she’s been in some other great shows and movies since Empire. I think her talent speaks for itself, and she’s definitely getting the recognition she deserves now.