$56,903/year:
According to ZipRecruiter, in 2024, the average actor salary is $56,903, with a range from $15,500 to $139,500. Unless they're employed regularly on a television show, actors tend to work on a project-by-project basis, which means they may not work at all for some years.
This is crazy money for just acting!
That's before taxes. You also have to pay your manager and agent a percentage from your income. And the higher salaries are in high cost of living places like California and New York where rent is a few thousand. Don't forget that you're paying for your own health insurance and union dues, etc..
shareThis is why I laugh when people make it sound like every actor is rich.
shareYikes, it cant be that low?
shareIf you can get into a play, a Comercial, street performance, etc... you can do alright.
shareIn the really olden days of Hollywood, acting was seen as a lowly profession, so it seems they made enough to get by.
shareGo back even further and is was reallly low..
Rome (HBO) Atia to her daughter: "I am no snob, my dear, I do not mind that you bring home a tradesman's daughter. But let's stop there, shall we? No actors, or gladiators, or that sort of thing."
Upstairs, Downstairs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQS9XK1Xe5E&t=2395s
Thanks for the reference.
It's very inconsistent. Even actors who are somewhat well known can see good parts stop coming their way. There's a story of William Shattner living in a trailer after Star Trek the series ended but before the movies. He ran into a young fan who was pretty disappointed to see him living like that.
It is funny how some people tend to think if you've had some successes in the industry, you should have set for life money.
https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/william-shatner-net-worth/
shareYes, I know he's doing better now.
shareLike most things, it depends on how far you go. i remember reading a story about some actress who was a regular on one of those daytime shows like "days of our lives" just a regular actress on the show... well she barely earned anything. it wasn't much more than a regular person makes.
it's too easy to equate famous with rich...you really need to get into something that pays well don't voice actors do well? i wonder how much those people who voice the simpsons have been getting for the last 35 years..