How Much Do Actors from Amazon Prime Video's The Boys Get Paid?
Amazon Prime Video's The Boys has quickly become one of the platform's most successful original series, known for its dark humour, over-the-top action, and subversion of superhero tropes.
With the show’s rising popularity, you might wonder: how much do the actors of The Boys earn? In this article, we explore the salary ranges of the show's stars, factors influencing their pay, and how these earnings compare to other actors in the streaming industry.
What Is the Salary of The Boys Actors?
The salary of actors on The Boys can vary depending on their role, experience, and contract negotiations. Reports suggest that the main cast members of The Boys earn between $200,000 and $500,000 per episode, placing them on par with other actors in high-profile streaming shows like Stranger Things and The Witcher.
As with many streaming platforms, the exact salaries are often kept confidential, but stars of hit shows like The Boys typically earn more as the show grows in popularity. Lead actors like Karl Urban (who plays Billy Butcher) and Antony Starr (Homelander) are likely to be at the higher end of the salary scale due to their central roles and the increasing success of the series. For supporting actors and newcomers, salaries may start closer to $100,000 per episode, with the potential for increases in later seasons.
How Is Actor Pay Determined on Streaming Platforms?
The pay for actors in streaming series like The Boys is determined by several factors, which include:
Lead vs. Supporting Roles: Lead actors, especially those with significant screen time and involvement in key storylines, command higher salaries. For example, Karl Urban, as the leader of the vigilante group "The Boys," likely earns more than supporting cast members. His character is central to the narrative, and he appears in most episodes, which justifies his higher pay.
Experience and Star Power: Actors who have established careers or are considered stars within the industry can negotiate for higher salaries. Before joining The Boys, Karl Urban had already starred in major franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Star Trek, which boosts his earning potential. Similarly, Antony Starr has seen his career skyrocket thanks to his portrayal of Homelander, and his growing recognition allows him to negotiate for higher pay in future seasons.
Length of Contract: Multi-season deals often allow actors to negotiate raises as the show gains more viewers. As The Boys gained widespread popularity after its first season, cast members were able to renegotiate their contracts, securing higher salaries for subsequent seasons. Some stars may also receive bonuses if the show hits viewership milestones.
Platform and Budget: Amazon Prime Video is one of the largest streaming services in the world, with massive budgets for its original series. The Boys has been a major investment for Amazon, and big-budget shows like this one tend to offer higher pay for their actors. The show’s elaborate special effects, ensemble cast, and massive production scale mean that salaries are competitive compared to traditional network TV shows.
Comparison to Other Streaming Shows
When it comes to streaming series, salaries for actors on The Boys are comparable to those in other successful shows. For example, actors in Netflix's hit show Stranger Things reportedly earn between $200,000 and $350,000 per episode, depending on their role and seniority within the cast.
Amazon’s big-budget series, like The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, offer some of the highest pay in the streaming industry. By comparison, traditional network TV actors, particularly those in long-running sitcoms or dramas, may earn $100,000 to $250,000 per episode, though stars of hit shows like Friends or The Big Bang Theory earned as much as $1 million per episode in their final seasons.
While The Boys actors may not yet command those astronomical figures, the show’s increasing popularity and long-term potential mean that salaries could rise in future seasons.
Do The Boys Actors Earn Royalties?
Unlike actors in traditional TV shows, where reruns and syndication can provide long-term royalty payments (also called residuals), actors in streaming services like Amazon Prime Video generally don’t receive royalties in the same way. Streaming platforms typically operate on a buyout model, where actors receive a lump sum for their work, but don’t earn residuals from reruns or continued viewership.
However, some actors, particularly those with established reputations or leading roles, can negotiate deals that include bonuses or performance-based incentives tied to the success of the show. This means that if The Boys continues to be a top-performing series for Amazon Prime, lead actors could see financial bonuses beyond their base salaries.
Additional Benefits: How Streaming Actors Are Compensated
In addition to their salaries, actors in streaming series like The Boys often receive other benefits, including:
Bonuses for Milestones: As mentioned earlier, actors can receive bonuses when the show reaches certain viewer counts or critical milestones, such as winning awards or achieving specific streaming goals.
Travel and Accommodations: Since The Boys is filmed in different locations, actors are often provided with travel and lodging. These costs are typically covered by the production company, ensuring that cast members don’t have to spend their own money while working on set.
Profit Participation: Some top-tier actors negotiate deals that give them a share of the profits from the show, though this is less common in streaming services. For extremely successful shows, profit participation can significantly boost an actor’s earnings, especially if the show is sold to other platforms or countries.
How Does The Boys Cast Salary Compare to Hollywood Film Actors?
While salaries for The Boys cast are impressive, they still fall short when compared to the earnings of Hollywood film actors. A-list stars like Dwayne Johnson or Leonardo DiCaprio can command $20 million or more per film, a figure that far exceeds the per-episode earnings of TV or streaming actors. However, film roles are often short-term, whereas TV and streaming actors benefit from the potential for steady, long-term income across multiple seasons.
Conclusion: How Much Do The Boys Actors Really Earn?
The cast of Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys earns competitive salaries for their work in one of the platform’s biggest hits, with actors making between $200,000 and $500,000 per episode. Leading roles, established reputations, and the success of the show all contribute to actors’ ability to command higher pay. While The Boys actors may not yet be earning the massive figures seen in traditional Hollywood films, the rising popularity of the series means their earnings will likely increase in future seasons.
As the streaming industry continues to grow, shows like The Boys offer actors significant earning potential, along with job stability and the opportunity to renegotiate for even higher pay as the series gains more viewers. While they may not receive traditional royalties, actors can still benefit from bonuses and other incentives tied to the show’s performance.
