Forbes released its list of the highest paid TV actors of the last year. Topping the list is The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, who earned an astronomical $26.5 million (pre-tax) from June, 2017 to June, 2018, holding the top spot for the fourth year in a row. His BBT co-stars, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg, are close behind, all making over $23 million. I can’t believe they make that much money – and that’s after they took a pay cut to bolster the salaries for Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik. (Other top paid actors include Mark Harmon of NCIS, Modern Family’s Ed O’Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell and The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln.)
With income like that, it may be surprising that Jim is walking away from all of it, saying “no” to a lucrative two-year, $50 million contract, which resulted in the show’s cancellation. With his own production company, That’s Wonderful Productions, it looks like Jim will still be making money. He’s got several projects in the works, including the popular BBT spin-off, Young Sheldon.
Earlier this month, Deadline reported that ABC has given a put pilot commitment to Bless Her Heart, a sitcom from former Modern Family executive producer Chuck Tatham, who will also be writing for the series. Side note: I had to look it up, but per Variety, a put pilot is “A deal to produce a pilot that includes substantial penalties if the pilot is not aired; a virtual guarantee that a pilot will be picked up.” The show, like Young Sheldon, taps into Jim’s Texas roots, telling the story of “two very different Texas matriarchs who wreak havoc on their children’s lives when they all wind up living together.”
Jim and Todd’s production company has another sitcom in the works, this one for NBC. The Inn Crowd is about a gay couple who open a successful inn in a small town. The series is based on a true story. If that’s not enough, the company wrapped production on Special, a comedy series for Netflix written by and starring Ryan O’ Connell.
And, even though leaving BBT may be a somewhat sad affair for the cast and crew, Jim’s doing what he can to keep spirits high. Last week, Mayim Bialik posted a photo on Instagram of Jim on the set, defiantly leaning against a cabinet that has a sign clearly stating, “Do not lean on me.” Mayim captioned the shot, “My #mancrushmonday? This rebel.”
Jim also shared some behind the scenes photos on IG, cutting up with co-star Kaley Cuoco. He seems like he’d be a blast to work with.
I do hope that Jim doesn’t stay behind the camera with all of his producing duties. Even on BBT, of which I’m not a fan, he’s a great actor and I can’t wait to see what he will do next.
Photos credit: WENN.com
Good for him! He’s done a great job with his character. The pay scales are crazy, but obviously the networks get more. Makes you think about the whole system and how much time and energy we put into watching… *picks up a book*
BBT was really cute and funny for the first season or two, and then it just got so predictable and boring. Every episode is amusing in its own way, but every episode is basically the same.
and I hate Penny SO MUCH.
So now that that’s all out of my system – their salaries don’t seem that high to me. Remember the entire cast of Friends was getting 1 million an episode at the end (so about 22 million a year), and friends ended in 2004. So 14 years the #1 comedy (isn’t it the #1 comedy? CBS tells me it is…) has stars getting a few million a year more than that. But I’m not sure what the viewership numbers are or advertising revenue ( I would think it would have to be less with on demand and DVR, right?)
Yeah they really have made Penny such a bitch in recent seasons.
Interesting. I think Penny is awesome.
I’m sorry but WTF have I missed about why that list is just a list of men?
Are you seriously telling me that both Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar
get paid more that Kuoco? And that all the men of Modern Family get paid more than both female leads?
I thought we used the word actor for both sexes- and I wrong and this is just a male list? Because surely that is the most bullshit list ever in terms of gender equality for pay.
It’s a list of Actors. they have a list of actresses also https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5bcf6b3ba7ea43705914d148/the-highest-paid-tv-actre/#6f288e624613 Kaley gets 24.5 million so less than Jim but more than the other guys
Actually, Sofia Vergara is paid more than all the men on this list.
Who? I’ve never watch the show, but there must be a reason he makes so much money, so maybe I should start watching the show. It’s amazing that actors and actresses make so much money, but hard working people sometimes need to have multiple jobs just to survive . Maybe I should’ve gone to acting school
I tried to watch it but it seemed so formulaic and cliched to me. But Jim Parsons seems like a good guy, very endearing.
I don’t know about acting school. I was just talking to my sone about that. Sure, a handful of people make millions, but tons of actors are struggling to pay their bills. I have a friend who’s been in Hollywood for 20+ years now and hearing about his days exhausts me. He has so many gigs, some related to acting and producing, but others are graphic design related, his previous career. And yet his lifestyle and living situation is so far from lavish, he barely gets by.
I would assume that the actors will still make decent money as the show will be in reruns forever. Of course that depends on no scandal involving a cast member and turning the public / broadcasters away from the show
Is that Simon’s wife he is with there? I had no idea about his politics. I am big fan of TBBT. That picture makes me very happy.
Good for him. He has to be so sick of playing the same character by now. I bet he can’t wait to act in something else.
Has that show been on for more than a decade? I don’t get why people are making such a big deal that it’s ending. It’s not like he walked away from something just catching on.