Teddy Swims Reveals His Surprising Paycheck After 5 Years of Touring

Teddy Swims is getting brutally honest about his finances.

The singer of “Lose Control” recently discussed his concert earnings throughout his career, explaining that his success was built over time and wasn’t immediate.

He shared in an interview with Australian radio show *Triple M’s Rush Hour* on October 12th that he finally turned a profit from touring last year. “For the first time, our tour expenses were covered, and I actually made money,” he explained.

Although Teddy (whose birth name is Jaten Collin Dimsdale) happily announced he was finally making a profit, he stressed that it took time and effort to reach that point.

Honestly, it took them *five years* of constant touring before things really started to click, which blows my mind! Everyone sees them playing these huge arenas and thinks they’re rolling in it, but apparently, for a long time, they were just barely covering their costs – if they were even doing that! It’s wild to think about all that hard work happening behind the scenes while everyone else just saw the show.

The 33-year-old musician described his touring schedule as similar to running a business, explaining that it takes time and effort to gain a following.

He guessed they made around $20,000 last year, but more importantly, everyone was paid and taken care of, which he considered a success. He’s optimistic about the future, predicting he’ll be financially secure soon.

Things have changed for Teddy beyond just his finances while he’s been touring. The Grammy-nominated artist became a father in June when his partner, Raiche Wright, gave birth to their son. It was hard for him to leave the baby and return to touring.

“I was completely distraught, crying and drinking as we left for the tour,” Teddy shared with *The Sun* in July. “My manager told me I needed to choose between the tequila and the tears, because starting the tour like that wasn’t sustainable.”

Even though his job involves a lot of travel, the singer is excited to become a parent and balance it with his career.

Honestly, watching him develop has been such a joy. I feel incredibly lucky and thankful for all the good things in my life – it’s truly a blessing to witness his journey and have everything I do.

To see what more stars have said about their earnings, keep reading.

According to Joe Giudice, he and his ex-wife Teresa Giudice didn’t earn much for their first season on *The Real Housewives of New Jersey*. He revealed on his daughter Gia’s podcast, *Casual Chaos*, in August 2025, that they were paid around $25,000, which he considered a very small amount, but they accepted it.

Creating the first season of the show wasn’t inexpensive. The father of four remembered throwing a large party in his living room and estimated the show cost him around $150,000 that first year.

Although the winner of *Dancing With the Stars* doesn’t receive a cash prize, all finalists are paid through the end of the show, according to season 33 winner Jenna Johnson. She also mentioned that there’s a bonus for participating. Johnson won the season with her partner, Joey Graziadei.

Johnson explained that winning doesn’t mean a huge payout – it’s more about the trophy. And while dancers are guaranteed a certain number of weeks on the show, pro contracts are based on how long they’ve been with the program. Reports suggest dancers earn between $1,200 and $1,600 per episode, potentially reaching $100,000 for the whole season, though ABC hasn’t confirmed these figures. Celebrities, on the other hand, start at a $125,000 salary and can earn up to an additional $50,000 as they advance to the semifinals and finals.

Jennifer Lawrence, an Academy Award winner, earned $25 million for her role in Adam McKay’s comedy film *Don’t Look Up*. However, her co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio—also an Oscar winner—received $30 million for the same film.

Jennifer Lawrence acknowledged that Leonardo DiCaprio earns more at the box office than she does. While she’s happy with her own earnings, she explained to *Vanity Fair* that it’s often awkward for women to ask about equal pay. She’s observed that when pay discrepancies are questioned, explanations are often vague and avoid addressing potential gender bias directly.

Jennifer Lawrence’s positive outlook on the issue came after a difficult battle. When the 2014 Sony email leak revealed she was paid less than her male co-stars in the 2013 film *American Hustle*, it sparked a widespread discussion about unequal pay for women in Hollywood.

In a 2017 interview with Channel 4 News, Lawrence explained she wasn’t worried about her earnings. ‘I’m lucky to have the job I do,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t about the money – getting millions for a film isn’t what bothered me. I was upset by the lack of fairness and the inequality of it all.’

Compared to Leonardo DiCaprio’s earnings, Jonah Hill received a relatively small $60,000 for his work in the 2013 film *The Wolf of Wall Street* – before taxes and commissions. This is significantly less than the $10 million earned by the lead actor.

Hill remembered being offered very little money during an appearance on *The Howard Stern Show* in 2014. However, he was eager to accept because the project was a Martin Scorsese film, and he wanted to finalize the agreement before anyone had second thoughts. He was also known for his role in *Moneyball*.

According to actor Jonah Hill, he’d be willing to make huge sacrifices – even selling his house and giving away all his money – just for the chance to work with director Martin Scorsese. He explained that while films like *22 Jump Street* are good for earning a living, true passion projects are about something more. He’d happily work with Scorsese again, regardless of the financial gain, because doing work you believe in is what really matters.

Oprah Winfrey happily accepted only a little bit of green to star in 1985’s The Color Purple.

In a 2023 interview with *Essence*, the media billionaire shared that they were only paid $35,000 for the film, but it was the most valuable $35,000 they ever made. They explained it was a turning point in their career and a significant learning experience.

Jennifer Lopez made history when she played the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 movie *Selena*. She was the first Latina actress to be paid $1 million for a film role.

Looking back on her first big film, Lopez explained to *Variety* in 2019 that she was very young and didn’t fully understand what was happening. She remembered being thrilled by the million-dollar offer and believed everyone involved was trying to prove a point.

This success allowed her to earn hundreds of millions of dollars, and sometimes she doesn’t even have to invest any of her own money to do so.

In a 2019 interview with *GQ*, Jennifer Lopez explained that she pursues projects out of passion, not just for financial gain. She revealed she wasn’t highly paid for *Hustlers*, and even self-funded it, because she believes in investing in herself and following her heart – just like in her song *Jenny From the Block*.

Adrien Brody wasn’t motivated by money when he made *The Brutalist*. He chose the role of a struggling Hungarian architect in post-war America, and his performance earned him a second Best Actor Oscar, despite a relatively modest salary of $250,000.

Brody told *Variety* he’s ready for a big studio film, explaining he’s put all his resources into renovating a large, castle-like barn in upstate New York.

When asked how he spent his first paycheck from *Saturday Night Live*, Pete Davidson joked to *New York* magazine, “Do you know how much we make?” He explained that he earned around $3,000 per episode when he started in 2014, adding, “So I think I just bought dinner.”

It’s notable that pay for new cast members on *Saturday Night Live* has stayed consistent over the years. In 1975, original stars like John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase each earned $750 per episode. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about $3,300 in 2014, and around $4,428 today (in 2025).

Kenan Thompson earns significantly more than $3,000 per episode of *SNL* these days, especially as he begins his historic 22nd season. However, he didn’t always make that much and had to start with more modest earnings early in his career, having previously starred on Nickelodeon.

I was so excited when I got paid for my first commercial! It was $800, and honestly, being 12 years old, it felt like a million bucks. I shared that story in Demi Lovato’s 2024 documentary, *Child Star*, and it really brings back those memories.

It turns out Gilmore Girls’ status as a beloved rewatchable classic is literally priceless.

As someone who’s been in the industry for a while, I can tell you the streaming landscape is different. I was recently chatting about this on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and I shared that, unlike traditional television, there aren’t really any ongoing payments – what we call residuals – from Netflix. I played Lorelai Gilmore for seven seasons and then came back for the *Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life* revival, and honestly? I’ve been paid in something even better: the incredible love and appreciation from all of you fans. And that, truly, is priceless.

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, actor Tommy Dorfman revealed details about her pay for the show *13 Reasons Why*. The strike, like the WGA strike, was partly caused by streaming services such as Netflix not sharing additional profits with actors and crew when a show became successful.

Dorfman revealed on Threads July 24th that she earned $29,953.24 for the first season of *13 Reasons Why* before her agency and manager took their 20% cut and taxes were taken out. She worked on 8 episodes over six months, doing all the promotional work and appearing in key artwork for the show. She also traveled frequently between New York City and San Francisco to film, often working for days without pay and barely qualifying for health insurance.

Dorfman also noted that the show’s first season reached 476 million viewing hours in its first 28 days, which is the reason for the strike.

Dax Shepard recently shared with Lauren Graham on his podcast that he was one of the lowest-paid actors on their show, *Parenthood*, which aired for six seasons on NBC. He didn’t mention specific salaries or co-stars.

But, the Armchair Expert host stressed that he did not mind.

Before becoming a parent, I always made it a priority to find out how much my coworkers were earning. I’d either ask them directly or discreetly check through my agent to get the information.

He deliberately avoided finding out details about his family’s history with the company, and this helped him appreciate the experience, even when he started to realize how much the company valued his work.

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? George Clooney actually told the *Los Angeles Times* back in 2005 that he basically *paid* to get *Good Night, and Good Luck* made! He said he had to cash his own directing check and give up his entire acting salary! It’s insane! And Grant Heslov, his co-writer and producer? He did the same thing! They *each* only made a dollar for all their work. A DOLLAR! It just proves how passionate they were about that film, right? I mean, a dollar! I can’t even… it’s amazing!

George Clooney’s passion project, a play about CBS News journalist Edward R. Murrow and his courageous reporting in the 1950s, proved to be a success. Clooney made his Broadway debut playing Murrow, performing for months before the run ended in June 2025. The play even broke Broadway records for non-musical productions, earning $3.3 million during previews before its official opening on April 3rd, proving it was a significant financial success beyond just his personal investment.

Christian Bale revealed in a 2022 interview with GQ that he was paid very little for his iconic role as Patrick Bateman in the 2000 film *American Psycho*. He explained that the production wasn’t initially eager to cast him, and he was only hired because director Mary Harron specifically wanted him. He was paid the lowest amount legally permitted.

Bale recalled earning so little that he overheard the makeup artists joking about how his salary was lower than theirs, even compared to the people applying his makeup.

Although his uncle was Rico, Jon Heder revealed in 2010 that he was originally paid just $1,000 for his role in *Napoleon Dynamite*.

Once the unexpectedly popular comedy film became a success, he successfully asked for a share of the earnings. He told the *New Zealand Herald* that they agreed to increase his percentage.

Despite a successful career with acclaimed films like *Amistad* and *Blood Diamond*, Djimon Hounsou believes he doesn’t earn enough money in Hollywood.

The Beninese actor shared with CNN’s Larry Madowo in January 2025 that despite working in film for over twenty years, and having received two Oscar nominations and starred in numerous blockbuster movies, he still faces financial difficulties making a living.

As I share in my new memoir, *Rebel Rising*, starting out in Hollywood was… interesting! I landed a small role in *Bridesmaids* back in the day, and the paycheck was only $3,500. But here’s the kicker – I had to use *all* of it to pay my initiation fees to join the Screen Actors Guild. So, technically, that job didn’t actually earn me a single penny! It’s a funny story now, but it really highlights the financial hurdles actors face when they’re first starting out.

Still, she wrote, the experience was “everything!”

The Australian actress’s career soared, and her salary increased dramatically. She earned the standard union rate of $65,000 for the 2012 film *Pitch Perfect*, but by 2017’s *Pitch Perfect 3*, she was commanding $10 million. In total, she made $20 million from *Pitch Perfect 3*, *Isn’t It Romantic*, and *The Hustle*. However, after paying nearly 50% in taxes, 10% to her agents, and 5% to her lawyer, along with other professional fees, she still considered her earnings a huge success.

In late 2017, Ellen Pompeo successfully negotiated a new contract for her role on *Grey’s Anatomy*. The deal paid her $575,000 per episode, included a large signing bonus, and gave her a stake in the show’s profits estimated to be worth between $6 and $7 million.

I’ve been a huge fan of Pompeo for years, and I loved what she said in an interview a while back. She was talking about being 48 and finally feeling comfortable asking for what she’s earned – and she really hit the nail on the head about age playing a part in that. She admitted she knows the industry doesn’t always see her as ‘relevant’ because she’s played the same character for so long, fourteen years to be exact! But she brilliantly pointed out that anyone can do well in the first couple seasons of a show. It’s staying good, *really* good, after fourteen years? That’s where the real talent shines through, and that’s a skill, plain and simple.

Ellen Pompeo recently shared that she didn’t resent her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ costar, Patrick Dempsey, despite consistently earning less than him, even though her character was the one the show revolved around.

In a March 2025 episode of her podcast, *Call Her Daddy*, she explained that she felt she deserved equal recognition, considering the show was named after her. She wasn’t upset about his success, but rather that her contributions weren’t valued as much, and she believed that would always be the case.

Jamie Lee Curtis remembers earning $2,000 per week, totaling $8,000, for her first movie, the 1978 classic *Halloween*. As she explained to Rotten Tomatoes in 2018, practically no one involved in the film received significant payment.

Although the actress playing Laurie Strode made a good amount of money—around four figures—director John Carpenter’s friend, Nick Castle, felt incredibly lucky earning $25 a day to share the role of Michael Myers. (Interestingly, it’s actually Anthony Moran whose face you briefly see when the killer’s mask comes off, and editor Tommy Lee Wallace also appeared on screen as Michael.)

Looking back, it was a crazy time! As someone who went to USC film school with John Carpenter, I remember being really excited just to be *on* the set of the film. Honestly, I wanted to see how everything actually worked, to get a behind-the-scenes look at filmmaking and directing. I figured I’d be hanging around for free, but they actually paid me! Twenty-five dollars a day, and all I had to do was wear a rubber mask – not a bad gig, right?

Taraji P. Henson received an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in the 2008 film *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*. However, she was still frustrated years later that she only earned $150,000 for the movie, despite initially requesting $500,000.

In a 2021 interview on the *Ladies First With Laura Brown* podcast, producer Dede Henson explained that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett each commanded around $20 million for their roles in the film, which was a significant sum at the time. Henson added that their high salaries were justified, stating they deserved to be well-compensated.

Taraji P. Henson explained that she was also bringing value to the project and felt her salary request was reasonable, considering how much the film would likely earn. She said she wouldn’t have accepted less. She was very disappointed when they initially offered her only $100,000, and while she eventually negotiated a $150,000 salary, she admitted it was difficult to accept less than she felt she deserved.

Henson understands some people might think $150,000 is a large sum of money, and she wants to make it clear she’s not ungrateful. However, after taxes and paying her team, the actual amount she receives is significantly less. She explained that the government will take about half, leaving $75,000. Then, she has to pay her team 30% of the original amount before taxes are taken out. After both the government and her team take their share, she estimates she’s left with around $40,000.

Although Cate Blanchett has earned a substantial income throughout her career, her role as the elf Galadriel in the hugely successful *The Lord of the Rings* films – which made $2.9 billion worldwide – wasn’t her sole source of income.

When Andy Cohen suggested on *Watch What Happens Live* in August 2024 that *The Lord of the Rings* was her most lucrative role, she jokingly replied, “No, absolutely not!” She explained that the cast wasn’t actually paid much for the film – she essentially received free food and was allowed to keep her prosthetic ears.

Orlando Bloom, known for his role as Legolas in *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy, revealed in a 2023 interview on *The Howard Stern Show* that he earned only $175,000 for all three films.

Hopefully he also got to keep his ears.

2025-10-15 20:49

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