How much do actors earn?

[KnewYearKnewMe]

Not the big movie stars.. more the type that are regulars in UK older comedies.

DH and I have been watching reruns of Benidorm and Scarborough (don’t judge 😂😂). There’s a fair few of the same supporting cast, which got me wondering - do they make a living?

anyone got any inside knowledge?

I have a few actor friends who make a living, yes. I don’t ask for their income. But they have mortgages. Others do acting on the side of other jobs, eg one guy I know is a copywriter.

That’s interesting, @PurBal - are you in a connected industry?

I don’t think I’ve ever someone who’s job is acting.

Depends on what you are in, eg musicals in West End, touring shows, where you are on the bill I suppose. Think there are set payments for eg chorus or dancers. A name will get more money but some actors don't do films or tv

I used to live with west end actors - this was going back 20 years but they used to get paid per show. Lots of them did other jobs in between though - waiters, singing teachers etc. They also did less desirable roles to keep the money coming in - singing at holiday camps and on cruise ships. I can’t remember how much they got paid per show though which is annoying!

I’m mainly thinking of TV shows. There are a few faces I’ve seen recently as supporting cast in tv comedies which got me thinking - if you’re a supporting actor in, eg, a series of Benidorm, is it £20k, £50k, more, royalties for repeats, etc?

I work as an extra and pay is about £100-140 per day but that’s just background with no speaking parts

Thank you @Mrsfeckwittery- how many days a week/month do you do that?

I know someone who got paid 50k last year for a minor speaking role in an American mini series.

I couldn’t live on it. It’s too sporadic with no guarantees. Getting cast depends on the job and the sort of person they are looking for.
some extras I know seem to get a lot of work coz they have a certain look but last year I only worked eight days. I tend to do it for fun. You meet very interesting folk and get to some interesting places.
I had seven days on one job and only one day on another.

I know a couple of people who have been actors for some years, but it was only their main job when they were young and single. Neither performs at all now though both have jobs connected to the industry.

I have a friend who is an actor, although not their only source of income. It is their passion though.

Their best paying year was when they landed a part in a west end musical for a year long contract. Supporting character. That earned them an average full time wage, nothing huge.

Equity publishes rate cards for every industry - theatre, west end, film, tv, video games etc. I think you have to be a member to access them but they are the minimum standards (most people pay the minimum!)

here is an example of a rate card for jobbing actors from another org

https://www.thecastingnetwork.co.uk/rates.asp

Remember - actors cannot work for the same number of days that an employed person can (you don’t get paid for training, research, sometimes you don’t get paid for publicity), so it’s not directly comparable to an employed job rate. Generally speaking there are lower rates for a ‘long run’ eg if you have 20 days of continuous work you’ll be paid a lower day rate than for a single day

(I am not an actor, but I do pay them often!)

It’s heavily unionised which is great. Coz when the click is getting close to the max contracted daily hours, after that they have to pay overtime by the half hour. Night shoots are even more pay.

Very little. Peter Mullan, a well-known name, was on Front Row recently saying that he gets £500 per week for playing the lead in his current show in Liverpool. That's for 8 shows a week. It's shockingly low in theatre.

@NotinToTintin

oh wow - thank you, that’s fascinating.

extra pay for extra short haircuts!

I got fitted for something this week and the guys got extra for shave. Which is where it can get complicated coz there’s a lot of work around for long haired beardie types

That's very poor, and below equity minimums. I co-run a very small but (relatively) successful theatre company, we pay £600 pw. You always have to consider that most work is short term contracts and there are always gaps.

@FionaJT@Cynic17

that is very low indeed.

He’s an incredible actor. I guess you’d have to have alternative means of income to be able to take that wage.

The few people I know who work in West End shows in London earn around £55,000 to £60,000 per year. (Not the stars.)

Salaries for soap actors (like on Corrie) vary. Some newer/younger ones get between £500 and £1200 per episode, and the older ones there who've been there 25+ years (Rita/ Kev/ Sally/ Ken/ Steve etc,) get between £150K and £200K per year. (A set salary no matter how man episodes they're in.) I guess the older ones have 'earned their stripes...

https://uktheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/190324-UK-Theatre-Equity-Commercial-Theatre-rates-2023-2026.pdf

There are a couple of YouTube videos on the earnings of West End theatre actors. I'm sure Carrie Hope Fletcher did one. Apparently it's different for all the cast. Someone who is a swing/alternate might earn more than main billed cast member as they have lots of parts to do and learn.

It sounded like the wage was good but only as good as a "normal" good salary. Like a teacher's salary for example. And of course, they may not be working all the time. Their contracts might only be 6 months and then they have to find another job as it's not steady.

I think a lot of them have other jobs like drama coaches. I've heard of a few who are also personal trainers as well. I suppose that kind of thing would fit round auditions.