‘Stranger Things’ Cast Salary: The Highest Paid Cast Member May Surprise You
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With the return of Stranger Things, we can’t help but look back on how much the series has grown—from a TV show with moderate numbers to a full-blown international phenomenon. Need evidence? Take a look at the Stranger Things cast salary. The pay-per-episode rate for Stranger Things is at its highest, with record-breaking deals for stars like Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard and Winona Ryder. The series started off slow (it was a Netflix sleeper hit before it became the obsession it is now), but there’s no doubt that it’s in its prime now, with fans obsessing and theorizing about what will happen to their beloved Hawkins residents.
With a ton of theories about what’s next, but we’re already prepping for a season of twists, monsters, and supernatural lore. But first, let’s look at how much Netflix is paying the cast of one of its most successful shows. The numbers for Stranger Things don’t lie, and the bank accounts and net worths of its cast are proof of that. Find out how much the Stranger Things cast makes for ahead. These are some of the richest kids on TV.
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Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers)
Season 1: $100,000 per episode
Season 3: $350,000 per episode
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As a two-time Oscar nominee and the most well-known in the Stranger Things cast, Ryder, who plays Joyce, went into Season 1 with the highest salary: $100,000 per episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Ryder, who has starred in films like Little Women and Girl, Interrupted, continued with that salary for season 2. But when it came time for the Stranger Things cast to settle on their pay for season 3, Ryder negotiated to $350,000 per episode—more than three times what she was making in the first two seasons. (That’s $2.8 million for the season.) According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ryder’s net worth is $18 million. Along with her Stranger Things and movie income, Ryder has also been a spokesperson for L’Oréal and H&M.
David Harbour (Jim Hopper)
Season 1: $80,000 per episode
Season 3: $350,000 per episode
Harbour, who has starred in shows like The Newsroom and State of Affairs and plays Detective Hopper in Stranger Things, has the second highest salary in season 1, with $80,000 an episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He and Ryder are what THR calls the “A tier”, which give them the highest salary of the cast. Like Ryder, Harbour continued with his season 1 salary for season 2. But for season 3, he saw a massive raise of $350,000 per episode (or $2.8 million for the season), which means that his pay is the same as Ryder’s and the highest in the cast. Along with Stranger Things, which earned Harbour Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, Harbour also starred as the lead of this year’s superhero movie, Hellboy. His net worth is $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven)
Season 1: $20,000 per episode
Season 3: ~$300,000 per episode
Brown, who plays Eleven, has had the most significant raise in Stranger Things‘ three seasons. For season one, she and the rest of the show’s child actors were included in the “B tier”, which earned them only $20,000 per episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Though the cast received $60,000 bonuses after season 1 proved to be a massive success, their same salary continued for season 2. When it came time for season 3 negotiations, Brown negotiated out of the “B tier” and into her own bracket, considering that she had become the series’ breakout star and Eleven had become a fan favorite. According to THR, her salary ranges from $250,000 to $350,000, with most sources claiming that she falls in the middle at $300,000 per episode (or $2.4 million for the season), which is more than her child costars but not as much Ryder and Harbour. Brown, who has been nominated for an Emmy, also stars in two Godzilla movies, Godzilla: King of Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. She has also modeled for brands like Converse, Calvin Klein and Moncler. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her net worth is $10 million.
Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler)
Season 1: $20,000 per episode
Season 3: $250,000 per episode
Like Brown and the rest of Stranger Things‘ child stars, Wolfhard, who plays Mike, started the series with a $20,000-per-episode salary. Though he and his costars received $60,000 bonuses after season 1 became a massive success, that salary continued for season 2. Wolfhard, who is in the “B tier” with the rest of his child costars, negotiated raise for season 3 to $250,000 per episode (or $2 million for the season), according to The Hollywood Reporter, which is a major increase (!!!) from what he was making in the first two seasons. Wolfhard also starred in 2017’s It and is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Calpurnia. He also has a role in It: Chapter Two, The Goldfinch, The Addams Family and Ghostbusters 3. According to Celebrity Net Worth, his net worth is $3 million.
Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson)
Season 1: $20,000 per episode
Season 3: $250,000 per episode
Matarazzo, who plays fan favorite Dustin, also started the series with a $20,000-per-episode salary, like the rest of the show’s child stars. He received a $60,000 after season 1’s success, but his salary stayed the same for season 2. For season 3, he and rest of Stranger Things‘ minors (aside from Brown, who negotiated her own pay bracket) negotiated to a $250,000-per-episode salary. (With eight episodes in season 3, that’s $2 million for the season.) Matarazzo is included in Stranger Things‘ “B tier”, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Matarazzo, best known before Stranger Things for his career on Broadway, has a net worth of $2 million, according to sources.
Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair)
Season 1: $20,000 per episode
Season 3: $250,000 per episode
McLaughlin, who plays Lucas, is also included in Stranger Things‘ “B tier”, which means that he made $20,000 per episode for the first two seasons. (He received a $60,000 bonus after season 1’s success, like the rest of the cast.) For season 3, he and the rest of Stranger Things‘ child stars negotiated to a $250,000-per-episode salary, which amounts to $2 million for season 3 given that McLaughlin is in the entire eight-episode season. McLaughlin also has a role Dora and the Lost City of Gold. According to Celebrity Net Worth, his net worth is $3 million.
Noah Schnapp (Will Byers)
Season 1: $20,000 per episode
Season 3: $250,000 per episode
Schnapp, who plays Byers, made $20,000 an episode in Stranger Things‘ first season, though his per-season pay may be less than the rest of the show’s child-star “B tier” because of how his character was missing for a couple episodes in season 1. He continued with that salary for season 2. (Though he did receive a $60,000 bonus after season 1’s success, like the rest of the cast). For season 3’s negotiations, he and the rest of the “B tier” negotiated to $250,000 an episode, which means he made $2 million for season 3. Schnapp, who has also starred in Bridge of Spies and The Peanuts Movie, has a net worth of $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler)
Season 1: Unknown
Season 3: $150,000 per episode
Dyer’s salary isn’t known for season 1, but she likely made less than Stranger Things‘ child actors because she’s included in the show’s “C tier.” Whatever salary she made for season 1 would’ve continued for season 2, along with a bonus after season 1’s success. For season 3’s negotiations, she and the rest of the “C tier” negotiated to $150,000 per episode, which a $100,000 less than the “B tier” and half of what Brown is reportedly making. Still, it’s a lot for TV standards. Dyer, who plays Nancy, appears in all eight episodes of season 3, she will make $1.2 million for the entire season. Along with Stranger Things, she also starred in Netflix’s 2019 film, Velvet Buzzsaw.
Joe Keery (Steve Harrington)
Season 1: Unknown
Season 3: $150,000 per episode
Keery’s season 1 and 2 salary is also unknown, but it would’ve been less than what his child costars are making because he, along with Dyer, is in the show’s “C tier.” (Still, he would’ve also received a bonus after season 1’s success.) For season 3, he and the rest of the “C tier” negotiated to a $150,000-per-episode salary, which nets him $1.2 million given he appears in all eight episodes of season 3. Kerry, who plays Steve, is also a musician in the band Post Animal. He also has a role in the 2020 movie, Free Guy, also starring Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer.
Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers)
Season 1: Unknown
Season 3: $150,000 per episode
Heaton, who plays Will’s brother Jonathan, is also included in Stranger Things‘ “C tier”, which means he would’ve made less than his child costars for season 1 and 2, though the exact number is known. (This is in addition to a bonus the cast received after season 1’s success.) When it came time for season 3 negotiations, Heaton and the rest of the “C tier” negotiated to $150,000 per episodes (or $1.2 million for the season given that he appears in all eight episodes.) Along with Stranger Things, Heaton also has a role in the Marvel film, The New Mutants, also starring Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy.
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