Some celebrities still rake in earnings from reruns of their old TV shows, while others are profiting off their box office its in a big way. Check out the highest-paid stars in the industry...
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Jim Parsons, a household name thanks to his hit geeky sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory," raked in around $900,000 per episode. Thanks to the longevity and huge fanbase of the show, Parsons still pulls an impressive $10 million a year with reruns. The network is continuing Sheldon's legacy with a spinoff, "Young Sheldon."
Alan Alda, "M*A*S*H"
This pioneering show gave a serious subject a comic twist, while also maintaining emotional connections between the characters and the audience. At the beginning, lead actor Alan Alda made around $10,000 per episode for his portrayal of Hawkeye. His salary increased to $235,000 by the end of the series. Now, he earns $1 million a year in royalties from reruns.
Betty White, "Golden Girls"
This classic sitcom about four BFFs in their golden years was ahead of its time in so many ways. In both theme and humor, this show didn't shy away from talking about the real issues of womanhood. The stars all earned hefty checks for each episode, but Betty White (as the only living cast member left) still makes $3 million a year.
Bob Saget, "Full House"
Though patriarch Danny Tanner only made between $2-$12,000 per episode, he claims that before he was listed as a producer, he got "next to nothing" when he was paid. However, he's arguably doing much better now with the success of the spinoff, "Fuller House." He's still a media icon and has been seen in countless other films making cameos as himself.
David Caruso, "CSI Miami"
Retired actor and producer David Caruso played the main character on the crime show "CSI Miami," and while he was on-air, he generated the show $6 billion. He can retire in peace knowing he alone still gets $100,000 a year in residuals. SVU and its various iterations will continue to funnel money into his wallet regardless.
David Schwimmer, "Friends"
The paleontologist we love to hate, Ross can definitively say that the show "Friends" has been on a break since its last episode in 2004. However, with the constant reruns, actor David Schwimmer still rakes in up to $20 million a year, which I'm sure is more than any of his other works (uhhh Madagascar) were ever worth. It's unclear whether or not he is interested in pursuing a "Friends" reunion.
Ed O'Neill, "Married With Children"
Though he's probably better known for his role as Jay on "Modern Family," Ed O'Neill was the head of another household on the 80s sitcom "Married With Children." The reruns bring him around $10 million a year and combined with an enormous paycheck from his current show, I'm sure he could have retired, like, a decade ago.
Ray Romano, "Everybody Loves Raymond"
Ray Romano really can do it all. Between voicing the lovable mammoth, Manny, in the "Ice Age" series, to writing and starring in his own series "Everybody Loves Raymond," he's guaranteed to be set for life with royalties from all nine seasons. Reruns alone earn him around $18 million a year. However, I'm not sure if anyone really misses this show.
Ted Danson, "Cheers"
"Cheers" boasts the title of one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. Everybody's heard of it if you haven't seen it. Danson played the most recognizable role, bar owner Sam Malone. Since then, he's starred on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Bored to Death," and "The Good Place," but he still earns $5 million a year from the show that kickstarted his career.
David Hasselhoff, "Baywatch"
Less of a show and more of a cultural phenomenon, "Baywatch" has been made and remade numerous times. But the OG cast, featuring leading man David Hasselhoff, can't be beaten. Pamela Anderson became the world's biggest sex symbol since Marilyn Monroe. Hasselhoff, however, takes home $4 million a year from royalties. Guess he didn't really need to make that Spongebob cameo after all.
Matt LeBlanc, "Friends"
Joey on "Friends," everyone's favorite ditzy actor, earned $20 million from the show's royalties. However, the spinoff, "Joey," tanked. Though he's since recovered from that embarrassment, his current project "Man with a Plan" is doing much better. Aside from that show, he's rarely seen in projects anymore.
Jennifer Aniston, "Friends"
The only A-lister to come out of the "Friends" cast, Jennifer Aniston has an explosive career thanks to the sitcom. Thanks to big films like "Just Go With It" and other family movies, her career has been the most successful of the "Friends" cast. She alone is worth $420 million from her box office hits, but "Friends" royalties still continue to earn her $20 million annually, while the network bags around $1 billion. Wow!
David Hyde Pierce, "Frasier"
The star of "the smartest show on television," David Hyde Pierce recently reflected on the 20th anniversary of the show and had nothing but praise for the cast during his reminiscing. Pierce's character, Dr. Niles Crane, was an irreplaceable figurehead on the show, and he makes around $40 million from the success of his role.
Maureen McCormick, "The Brady Bunch"
While Marcia was such an iconic character, the cast recently opened up about their struggles to get residuals from the hit five-season series. Looks like this is just a classic case of failing to read between the lines, so sadly, McCormick and the rest of the cast make nothing off of reruns. How sad!
Mark Harmon, "NCIS"
Harmon makes $125,000 per episode of "NCIS," and it's still on the air. Since first premiering in 2003, the show has garnered a massive following, as most crime shows tend to do. Harmon spearheads the cast, and he shows no signs of pulling out anytime soon. The show's residuals stack up to around $60 million from reruns while still airing new episodes. Are they hiring extras?
Jerry Seinfeld, "Seinfeld"
"Seinfeld" will go down in history as one of the most iconic shows in history. With its quick-witted dialogue and loveable characters, Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer are household names everywhere. When the series ended, Jerry and creator Larry David continued to cash huge paychecks. We're talking around $110 million a year, each. Seinfeld himself is worth a billion, which is unsurprising.
Dr. Phil, "The Dr. Phil Show"
Whoever thought it was a good idea to give a sociologist and psychologist his own TV show was onto something. Dr. Phil, a product of the Oprah Winfrey Show, and eventually his talk show kicked off with both hilarious and heartbreaking episodes. Mostly, he just tries to help people through crazy, unbelievable situations. Remember Bhad Bhabie? Since airing in 2002, he's raked in around $10 million in total residuals.
Kristen Bell, "The Good Place"
Kristen Bell, America's sweetheart, has taken over my Netflix queue with "The Good Place." The award-winning show aired back in 2016, and Bell and Ted Danson are the ultimate dynamic duo in this forking great series. Though it's unclear whether the show will get picked up for a fifth season, Bell is walking away with a whopping $0 in residuals anyways. Though she's set for life with all of her "Frozen" royalties.
Kesey Grammer, "Frasier"
Kelsey Grammer played the formidably serious yet hysterical Frasier Crane for over 20 years, originating on Cheers. When the spin-off show debuted, it continued the storyline of the character and his family in his home city of Seattle, gaining new fans by the day. Grammer was paid $1.6 million per episode, and still earns $13 million a year.
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Two and a Half Men is an irreverent sitcom that aired from 2003 until 2015. It has been lampooned by critics, but it has managed to keep a core base of fans that have kept it on the air even after its end. The twelve-season show pays out millions in dividends, the highest of which goes to its original three members—Charlie Sheen, Angus T., and Jon Cryer. Cryer's salary was a whopping $620,000 per episode.
Sam Waterston, "Law & Order"
Sam Waterston’s performance in Law & Order got him a Golden Globe, and he has also had a highly-acclaimed movie career, winning an Oscar for his role in The Killing Fields. Waterston’s reputation as a dramatic actor has merged into a sitcom reputation, as he appears in the Netflix show Grace & Frankie. Though he makes several thousand on his current projects, he'll reprise his role on SVU and earn around $50K a year.
Johnny Galecki ,"The Big Bang Theory"
Johnny Galecki had a long-standing role on the beloved show Big Bang Theory. He played Leonard on the show, and Big Bang was an empire that made all of its costars millionaires. Like Parsons, Galecki still racks up around $10 million a year in passive income. And the show's spinoff, "Young Sheldon," just got renewed for another season. Spock would be proud.
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
The "Modern Family" icon earned herself $43 million this year from the show's revenue. Though the show concluded its eleventh and final season, she still earns off of the reruns from her breakout role. She also just launched a new denim line, Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara, which earned a shoutout during Walmart's fourth-quarter earnings call. Her furniture line, Rooms to Go, is her most lucrative business endeavor, though.
Ed Sheeran
This British crooner outsells stadium tours and tops every chart with his record releases. Though he's on a hiatus at the moment, his sales bring him in $110 million annually. His breakout success, "Plus," launched him onto the pop/indie scene several years ago, and he's continued to dominate the music industry in his understated way. Surely it helps to have friends in high places (lookin' at you, Taylor Swift).
Kylie Jenner
The makeup mogul and reality star recently sold a majority share of Kylie Cosmetics to the parent company of Maybelline and Covergirl. However, with or without the huge sale, she still ranks second on Forbes's list, with a salary of $170 million. She owes her breakout success to her time on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," though she took a hiatus from the show during her pregnancy last year. Now, she is totally focused on business.
Matthew Perry, "Friends"
Signature funny guy Chandler Bing was a staple to the "Friends" cast. Like the rest of his costars, he still continues to make $20 million each year off of residual reruns. Though the show was such a hit, Perry has said that he's not interested in joining a reunion series.
Taylor Swift
After just receiving the Entertainer of the Decade award at the AMAs, Swift also topped Forbes's Highest-Paid Celebrities list. She makes a monstrous $185 million a year, and with the kickoff of her Lover Festival series well underway, there will be no shortage of cash for the pop star.
Kanye West
The rapper arguably peaked with the release of his album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" back in the 2010s, but he's now cruising on sales from his Yeezy fashion line and newer, faith-based music. Surely being married to a Kardashian helps. He makes $150 million a year.
Lionel Messi
The famed soccer star Lionel Messi had an objectively good season this year. His annual salary tops nearly every other player's in the league. At the end of the match season, he comes home with $127 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The second soccer star to top the Forbes chart is fan-favorite Ronaldo. Though he's not making as much as Messi, he still rakes in around $109 million a year. That helps when you have four or five kids, like he does.
Roger Federer
GOAT Roger Federer is the highest-paid tennis player in the ATP. He's won more singles titles than any player ever, and he's one of the most philanthropic athletes on the court right now. He's also about to be featured on a Swiss coin!
Howard Stern
America's most problematic radio host Howard Stern makes bank, cashing in at $93 million a year. Though celebrities love to hate him and hate to love him, The Howard Stern show is arguably one of the most successful and unhinged talk shows on the air.
J.K. Rowling
Rowling's rags-to-riches story warms the hearts of readers everywhere. She wrote the first Harry Potter novel as both a mental escape and an attempt to pay her bills. She never would have guessed it would launch a decade-spanning global phenomenon. Thanks to her tiny wizard friends, she makes $92 million a year.
Dwayne Johnson
The Rock is positively dripping. From his sports career to his successful acting career, there's apparently nothing he can't do, from family-friendly movies, to action flicks, to romcoms. You name it. His time in the box office has earned him $89 million.
LeBron James
Lakers player and philanthropist LeBron James might pull in around $89 million a year, but he spends much of his salary on charitable causes like his school, where he pays for all students to attend so they can graduate debt-free.
Elton John
Though he's ranked as a top-paid celebrity, making $84 million a year, John is allegedly only touring for his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" album because he needs the money from the ticket sales. Guess the guy's in some debt. Uh oh!
Jay-Z
The "Empire State of Mind" singer, and husband of Queen Bey, Jay-Z clocks in at $81 million a year. Lately, he's been in the background of his wife's career, following her success in the Disney film, "Lion King." Do he and Beyonce have a joint account? Is that too personal to ask?
Beyonce Knowles
Destiny's Child member, Single Lady, "Lion King" star Beyonce has cashed in $81 million this year all before she turned 40. She has three adorable children with Jay-Z, and they live quite the lavish lifestyle. Her album "Lemonade" should be in the running for album of the decade for how incredible the writing and production on it is. Her swan song, without a doubt—goals, truly.
Ellen DeGeneres
Talk show host and certified kindness ambassador Ellen makes $80 million a year. Though she sometimes takes breaks to allow guest hosts to run her show for a week or so at a time, she doesn't show any signs of stopping. Ellen is going to change the world, one dance party at a time.
Chris Hemsworth
Thor pulled in $76 million from the success of the "Avengers: Endgame" film that came out earlier this year. He's also signed on to more superhero flicks with the unstoppable Marvel studio. We're going to be seeing a lot more of Thor and Loki soon!
Drake
"Marvin's Room" singer and Twitter meme Drake made $77 million this year, much of that credited to the success of his various releases. Though he's been under fire for his odd friendship with young star Millie Bobby Brown, he's still one heck of a musician.
Kim Kardashian West
The fashion mogul and reality star, Kim K, made more than $72 million this year thanks to the sales from her new shapewear line and views from the long-standing reality show, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." She and husband Kanye West are also heavily involved in the Sunday Service worship group, which they have both promoted and filmed content for.
Ryan Seacrest
Everybody's favorite host Ryan Seacrest racked up $71 million this year. From hosting American Idol to New Years Rockin' Eve to Live! With Kelly and Ryan, Seacrest's various gigs provide him with a more than stable income. See you at Times Square in a few weeks!
Sean Combs
...AKA P. Diddy, Combs is still relevant. He made $70 million this year, though he hasn't released any music in a while. He's more of a personality at this point, but he still thrives on royalties from his tunes.
James Patterson
Famed children's and mystery author James Patterson seems to crank out like two books a year—that's a ton in the literary world. His sales have earned him $70 million annually. Most of his works get made into tv shows or films, so there's no shortage of revenue for this creative.
Robert Downey Jr.
Mr. Stark himself rolls in at $66 million. The most painful Avenger death ever seen, RDJ seems to be finished with Marvel following the release of "Avengers: Endgame." No matter, his career is still booming and he's doing just fine with that huge paycheck.
Gordon Ramsay
Hell's Kitchen star and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is a force to be reckoned with. He pulled in $63 million this year with profits from his various restaurant chains and network tv shows. Ever seen Master Chef or Master Chef Jr.? Wonder how much those kids are making...
Rihanna
The pop star and Fenty Beauty CEO Rihanna has been on the UP this year. The rise of her cosmetic line took off like lightning, and for that, she raked in $62 million this year. Though she hasn't released any music in a while, she's been breaking ground in the fashion industry, so the next year looks promising for her brand.
Travis Scott
"Astroworld" singer Travis Scott made $58 million this year, notably less than his former partner, Kylie Jenner, but hey, they're in different industries. Though the success of his latest album was through the ROOF, he's been relatively quiet lately since his split with Jenner.
Katy Perry
The "Firework" singer had a stellar career this year. She tops the list at $57 million, though her former nemesis Taylor Swift placed number 1 on Forbes's list while Perry sits at 41. No matter - she gets to marry Orlando Bloom, which is a much bigger win.
Bradley Cooper
"A Star is Born" star and director Bradley Cooper had an incredible two years. The success of the blockbuster hit brought him a paycheck of $57 million, and the revenue is still rolling in. Though he's kept quiet lately due to a shift in his personal life and co-parenting his daughter with model Irina Shayk, he's still one of Hollywood's hottest celebrities.
Pink
Though she's only released a handful of singles in the last year, Pink is still a notable media personality, making $57 million a year. The "Raise Your Glass" singer thrived in the 2010s and has since retreated into a quieter lifestyle, raising her two children with husband Carey Hart.
Adam Sandler
America's favorite funny guy is on the rise with his next A24 film, "Hidden Gems" He recently starred in a handful of Netflix comedies, but his work with studio A24 will likely boost the $57 million salary he got this year. This film is on everyone's to-watch list for sure.
Scarlett Johansson
The lady behind Black Widow in the Avengers series had a pretty fruitful year, pulling in $56 million thanks to the Endgame film. However, the star was under fire for an alleged report that she was going to be cast as a transgender man in the film "Rub and Tug." The studio should have handled the situation more gracefully and cast a real transgender man for the role, rather than a cis woman. Though she's moved past the issue, she's left a bad taste in fans' mouths.
Billy Joel
The Piano Man himself has sold out Madison Square Garden residencies for the last couple years, and if you've never seen him live, you haven't lived. There's nothing like a classic Billy Joel show. He sells out enormous stadiums every time, and thanks to that, he made a total of $52 million this year. Who wouldn't pay to hear "Piano Man" or "The Longest Time" live for possibly the last time ever? He's getting up there in age, so who knows how much longer he'll keep at this.
Bruno Mars
The "24 Karat" singer has been topping charts lately with his soulful singles. He came out with a $51 million paycheck this year, and his 2020 Las Vegas residency was just recently announced. Maybe we'll even get a new album from him, considering it's been about two years since his last full release.
Eminem
Hey Stan, do you know how much Eminem made this year? The answer is $50 million. From doing what? Who knows. But he will never not earn royalties off of "Lose Yourself." Mom's spaghetti? Gourmet and expensive.
Ariana Grande
Somehow, the "7 Rings" singer didn't rank at the top of this list. She ended the year with a paycheck of $48 million, which is still by no means tragic. The release of her "thank u, next" single and video skyrocketed her celebrity status, with the video parodying various chick flick films from pop culture, but perhaps her album sales didn't do as well as she'd hoped.
Paul McCartney
Long live the reigning Beatles leader, Paul McCartney. His overwhelmingly successful solo career is still going full speed ahead today. He just recently released a full-length album, "Egypt Station." He ended this year of music releases and tours with a check of $48 million.
Steve Harvey
The Family Feud and Miss America pageant host is everyone's favorite judgmental gameshow spearhead. If you can hear his voice while reading, "Okay family, your question is..." then you grew up in the right kind of household. He walked away with a check for $45 million this year. However, it's unknown whether he will continue to host the Miss America pageant since his on-air screw up two years ago.