Nikki Glaser Reveals How Much She Made Babysitting Judd Apatow’s Kids

by

Nikki Glaser’s gig for Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann paid a pretty penny.

Following the director of This is 40 sharing that the comedian used to babysit his daughters, Maude and Iris Apatow, before becoming famous, Nikki discussed how much money she made from the job.

The 41-year-old shared on the Howard Stern Show on January 13th that they were paid very well for the job. It was 2007, and the hourly rate of $35 or $40 was the most they’d ever earned babysitting. They also mentioned the children were delightful and funny.

During the 2026 Golden Globes, Judd, age 58, shared a fun fact: Nikki, the host of the show, had previously babysat his and his partner’s children. For Nikki, the unexpected reveal felt like a significant moment in her career, bringing things full circle.

Honestly, it just warmed my heart! It’s so special to me to think about how our story began – I actually started out as his babysitter. It’s full circle, you know?

While working, Nikki had a pleasant surprise – a phone call from Adam Sandler, who was visiting the Apatow family.

She recalled Adam Sandler calling her while she was babysitting. “He just asked how my night was going,” she remembered. It was her first time speaking with him, and she’s been a fan ever since, calling it the kindest call she’d ever received on the job.

The actress from I Feel Pretty also remembered telling the director about what she really wanted to do with her career, and he actually gave her the opportunity.

She explained that she was babysitting for Judd Apatow while he was making Funny People. She heard he was looking for real comedians to play roles in the movie, and when she learned about the character Aubrey Plaza would portray – a 25-year-old, struggling comedian in Los Angeles who was a fan of the band Wilco – she immediately felt a strong connection, thinking, ‘That’s me!’

She explained that she felt she had to take the opportunity. A friend reminded her that she hadn’t moved to Los Angeles to simply be a babysitter, which convinced her to try out. She ended up getting an audition, and it went well.

Although Nikki wasn’t selected for the part she tried out for, she has an even more exciting opportunity coming up – a new project with her previous employer.

She told Howard they were co-writing a movie. She’d always admired his work and secretly hoped they’d collaborate. She’d observed him on the set of Trainwreck and thought he seemed like a lot of fun. She never would have asked him to work with her, but somehow they started talking, and it felt like catching up with an old friend.

I began to share my personal struggles and where I was at in life – things like not having children or a traditional family, focusing on my career, and being unmarried, even questioning if I wanted those things. Talking about all of that with him sparked an idea, and we both thought it could make a really funny movie.

Though the content seems serious, Nikki promises it’s all laughs.

I have a feeling this one’s going to be a fun ride! Knowing his work, it just can’t help but be. Like all his films, it’ll definitely have a lot of heart, and I’m really hoping it’s filled with genuine emotion – something that feels authentic and comes from a truly personal place.

For more stars who have kept it candid about their paychecks, keep reading…

 

According to Joe Giudice, he and his ex-wife, Teresa Giudice, barely earned anything for their first season on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. He revealed on his daughter Gia Giudice’s podcast, Casual Chaos, in August 2025, that their pay was around $25,000, which he considered very low, but they accepted it.

Creating the first season of the show wasn’t inexpensive. The father of four remembered, “I believe hosting that large party in my living room alone cost me $150,000 in the first year.”

Although the winner of Dancing With the Stars doesn’t receive a cash prize, everyone who reaches the finale is paid for their time on the show, and they also receive a bonus, according to season 33 winner Jenna Johnson, who took home the trophy with partner Joey Graziadei.

Johnson explained that winning doesn’t mean a huge payout—it’s mostly about the trophy. And while dancers are guaranteed a certain number of weeks on the show, professional contracts depend 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, however, start with 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 film Don’t Look Up. However, her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, also an Oscar winner, received $30 million for the same movie.

Jennifer Lawrence acknowledged that Leonardo DiCaprio earns more at the box office than she does. While she’s happy with her own earnings, she told Vanity Fair in December 2020 that she’s noticed a pattern – and many other women likely have too – where it’s awkward and uncomfortable to ask for equal pay. And when someone does question a pay difference, they’re often told it’s not about gender, but without any clear explanation of why the disparity exists.

Jennifer Lawrence’s positive outlook 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.

Lawrence expressed gratitude for her career, clarifying that her concerns weren’t financial. In a 2017 interview with Channel 4 News, she explained she wasn’t bothered by the amount she earned from films, but rather by the broader issues of unfairness and inequality.

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 film’s lead actor.

Hill remembered on The Howard Stern Show in 2014 that he was offered very little money for the role. However, he was eager to appear in a film directed by Martin Scorsese, so he quickly agreed to the deal before anyone had a chance to reconsider.

Hill, a two-time Best Supporting Actor nominee known for playing a frantic, drug-using stockbroker, said he’d be willing to sacrifice everything to work with director Martin Scorsese. He explained that while films like 22 Jump Street help pay the bills, true fulfillment comes from pursuing passion projects. He’d gladly do it all over again, emphasizing that doing work you believe in is more important than financial gain.

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 mogul shared that they were initially offered just $35,000 for the film, but it turned out to be the most valuable $35,000 they ever made. They explained that the experience was transformative and taught them a great deal.

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 recalled being very young and confused by everything happening. She told Variety in 2019 that the million-dollar offer was amazing, and she sensed everyone involved was trying to prove something.

This success allowed her to earn hundreds of millions of dollars, and often she doesn’t even need to invest any money of her own.

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 produced it herself, choosing to invest in her own vision. She compares this to her song Jenny From the Block, emphasizing that she simply does what she loves.

Adrien Brody wasn’t motivated by financial gain when he accepted the role in The Brutalist. He chose to play a Hungarian architect struggling with his craft in post-World War II America, a performance that ultimately earned him his second Best Actor Oscar, despite a salary of only $250,000.

Okay, so I was reading this interview with Brody, and he basically said he needs a big studio movie, like, now. He’s totally poured everything he has – financially, emotionally, everything – into this insane renovation project. He’s fixing up this old barn in upstate New York, and he described it as looking like a castle! Seriously, a castle! He’s clearly invested so much, he needs a huge project to balance it all out.

When asked about his early spending habits after joining Saturday Night Live in 2014 at age 20, Pete Davidson joked to New York magazine, “Do you know how much we make?” He then revealed he earned around $3,000 per episode, adding, “So I probably just bought dinner.”

It’s notable that pay for new cast members on Saturday Night Live has stayed consistent over time. In 1975, original stars like John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase each reportedly earned $750 per episode. When adjusted for inflation, that’s about $3,300 in 2014, and approximately $4,428 in 2025.

Kenan Thompson earns significantly more than $3,000 per episode of SNL these days, especially since he’s currently in his 22nd season. However, he began his career like everyone else, starting with much smaller paychecks when he first began his career at Nickelodeon.

In Demi Lovato’s 2024 documentary, Child Star, a former cast member of All That shared that their first paycheck was $800. They joked that, being 12 at the time, it felt like a fortune – practically a million dollars.

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

Lauren Graham, best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore for seven seasons and then returning for the 2016 revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, recently shared that she doesn’t receive any residual payments from Netflix. Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live in March 2025, she jokingly said she’s been compensated with “love and appreciation” instead.

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Tommy Dorfman revealed details about her pay for the show 13 Reasons Why. The strike, along with the WGA strike, was partly caused by streaming services like Netflix not offering extra pay to actors and crew even after a show became successful.

Dorfman revealed on Threads that she earned $29,953.24 for her work on the first season of 13 Reasons Why before her agency, manager (combined 20%), and taxes were taken out. She worked on eight episodes over six months, and also did all the promotional work and appeared in key artwork for the show. She 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 within its first 28 days, which is the reason for the strike.

Dax Shepard recently shared with Lauren Graham, a former co-star on their show Parenthood, that he was one of the lowest-paid actors during the show’s six-season run on NBC. He didn’t mention specific salaries or co-stars’ names.

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 at the company, which allowed him to appreciate the experience even when he suspected where he stood in terms of salary and position.

In 2005, George Clooney told the Los Angeles Times that he and Grant Heslov each only made one dollar from their film, Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney explained that to get the movie made, he had to cash his check for directing and forgo his salary as an actor. Heslov, who also co-wrote and co-produced the film, did the same.

George Clooney’s passionate portrayal of CBS News journalist Edward R. Murrow, highlighting his courage in speaking truth to power during the 1950s, proved successful. He made his Broadway debut playing Murrow in a stage version of the film, concluding his run in June 2025. The play earned a record-breaking $3.3 million during previews before its official opening on April 3rd, demonstrating its popularity and financial success – far exceeding his initial $1 salary.

Christian Bale revealed in a 2022 interview with GQ that he earned very little for his role as Patrick Bateman in the 2000 film American Psycho. He explained that he was paid the lowest amount legally permitted because the production team wasn’t initially enthusiastic about casting him, with director Mary Harron being his primary advocate.

Bale recounted earning so little during one job that he recalled the makeup artists joking he was paid less than they were, while he was sitting in the makeup trailer.

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

You know, after that comedy film really took off – totally unexpectedly, actually – I was able to work out a new deal where I got a share of the profits. I told the New Zealand Herald they sweetened the pot a bit, and that’s putting it mildly!

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

The Beninese actor told CNN’s Larry Madowo in January 2025 that despite working in the film industry for over twenty years, and having received two Oscar nominations and appeared in numerous blockbuster movies, he continues to struggle financially.

In her 2024 memoir, Rebel Rising, Rebel Wilson revealed she earned $3,500 for her role in Bridesmaids. However, she had to pay the entire amount to the Screen Actors Guild to join the union, meaning she effectively received no payment for the film.

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, plus covering the costs of her publicist, business manager, and assistant, she still considered her earnings to be a huge success.

In late 2017, Ellen Pompeo successfully renegotiated her contract for Grey’s Anatomy, earning $575,000 per episode, a substantial signing bonus, and a stake in the show’s profits estimated to be worth between $6 and $7 million.

In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, 48-year-old Pompeo explained that she’s reached a point in her career where she confidently asks for fair compensation, something she feels comes with experience. She acknowledged the industry often doesn’t see her as ‘relevant’ after playing the same character for 14 years. However, she argued that while many actors can perform well in a show’s first couple of seasons, maintaining that quality after 14 years requires real talent.

Ellen Pompeo recently thought about the fact that she consistently earned less than her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ costar, Patrick Dempsey, despite being the show’s lead. However, she says she doesn’t resent him for it.

You know, as someone who’s spent years observing relationships and value dynamics, I really connected with what Alex Cooper shared on her podcast. She explained that it wasn’t about another person’s success bothering her, but more about feeling undervalued in comparison. It was tough for her to navigate realizing that, despite being the face and namesake of the show, her contributions weren’t seen as equally important – and she felt that disparity would always exist. It’s a really relatable feeling – wanting to be recognized for your worth, especially when you’ve put so much into something.

Jamie Lee Curtis remembers earning $2,000 per week, totaling $8,000, for her first movie, 1978’s Halloween. As she explained to Rotten Tomatoes in 2018, very few people involved in the film received any substantial payment.

Although the lead actress made a good amount of money, director John Carpenter’s friend, Nick Castle, felt like he was doing very well earning $25 a day to share the role of Michael Myers. (Actually, Anthony Moran is the face you briefly see under the mask, and editor Tommy Lee Wallace also appeared on screen as Michael.)

Looking back, it was a whirlwind,” said Castle, who went to film school with Carpenter at USC. He told Vanity Fair in 2018 that his main reason for joining the film was to learn how movies are made and to get a behind-the-scenes look at directing. “I figured I’d be on set for free,” he explained, “but I ended up making $25 a day just for wearing a rubber mask!”

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 Gardner explained that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett each earned around $20 million for the film. She noted that large salaries like that were common at the time and that both actors deserved to be well-compensated.

Honestly, I was really disappointed to hear about Taraji P. Henson’s experience. She explained that she knew she was bringing a lot to the table – her star power would definitely help sell tickets – and she felt her salary request was reasonable given that. She actually turned down an initial offer of just $100,000, which she said really hurt. In the end, she ended up with $150,000, but she admitted it was tough having to accept less than she felt she deserved. It just shows how even successful actresses have to fight for what they’re worth.

Henson understands people might think $150,000 is a lot of money, but she wants to be 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 takes about half, leaving $75,000. Then, she has to pay her team 30% of the original amount before taxes are taken out. After all of that, she estimates she might only have around $40,000 left.

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

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!” She explained that no one actually made much money on the film – she essentially only 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 on The Howard Stern Show in 2023 that he earned only $175,000 for all three films – a surprisingly small amount.

Hopefully he also got to keep his ears.

Read More

2026-01-15 17:22