Jenna Johnson Reveals Dancing With the Stars Paychecks

by

While a mirrorball trophy is certainly appealing, it’s not the sole motivation for the contestants on “Dancing With the Stars” to twist and turn their way to the grand finale. They have other compelling reasons as well.

Jenna Johnson, who first appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2012, recently shed light on the compensation structure for her, her fellow professionals, and their dance partners within the show.

The dancer who won Season 33 with Joey Graziadei on ‘The Bachelor’ clarified to Kelly Stafford on the ‘The Morning After’ podcast that there’s no monetary reward for winning, but she added, “Those who reach the finale are paid up until that point. Additionally, there is a bonus given.

Johnson stated that merely dressing them up in bronzer and sequins doesn’t equate to a lifelong situation. In simpler terms, if you win, it’s not as if you receive a million dollars. Instead, what you get is a charming trinket or trophy.

For those who decide to leave early, she noted, “You’ll be covered up to a specific number of weeks.

Apart from the amount of time a pro spends on the show within a season, their pay is also influenced by their level of seniority. As Johnson put it, “There are various contracts in place.

According to various sources, it’s said that dancers are initially paid between $1,200 and $1,600 per performance, with the potential to earn up to $100,000 in a single season. However, these figures have not been officially verified by ABC.

Instead, celebrities begin with an initial salary of $125,000, which is also a form of payment for their rigorous training both before and during the show’s debut. As the competition progresses, those who remain get further bonuses, with semifinalists and finalists potentially earning up to an additional $50,000.

Johnson has the skills necessary to dance her way to the finals. Two years after appearing as a professional dancer on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2016, she claimed her first Mirrorball Trophy during the season themed around athletes, partnering with Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon.

She has been a runner-up twice; she placed second in the competition not just once, but both in 2020 with Nev Schulman and again in 2021 with JoJo Siwa.

Johnson refuted whispers that professional dancers have the freedom to choose their own partners. “They don’t reveal this information, argued Johnson, who is mother to 2-year-old son Rome with fellow pro Val Chmerkovskiy. “They prefer to maintain secrecy about their partnership until you encounter them live.

For more stars who’ve revealed their paychecks, keep reading…

Jennifer Lawrence, who has won an Oscar, was offered a salary of approximately $25 million to perform in director Adam McKay’s comedy about a disaster titled “Don’t Look Up”. However, her co-star and fellow Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio received $30 million for his role.

In an interview with Vanity Fair for their December 2020/January 2021 issue, Lawrence stated, “Leo earns more at the box office than I do.” She continued, “I’m very content with my agreement. However, I’ve noticed and I believe many women in the workforce have too, that it’s awkward to discuss equal pay. If you raise concerns about something seeming unfair, you’re often told it’s not due to gender disparity, but they can’t explain what else it could be.

Her positive outlook on life was earned through struggle: When it became public knowledge in 2014 that the wage disparity between Lawrence and her male costars for the film “American Hustle” in 2013 was exposed during the Sony email hack, it sparked a broader discussion within the Hollywood industry about the issue of gender pay inequality.

In 2017, when I shared my thoughts with Channel 4 News in the U.K., I expressed my gratitude for the job I have. However, it’s not wealth that troubles me, but rather the broader societal issues. To put it simply, I wasn’t disheartened by receiving ‘just’ this amount of money for a movie – that would be preposterous. Instead, what stirred my anger was the persisting unfairness and inequality in our society.

In stark contrast to Leonardo DiCaprio’s earnings, Jonah Hill received approximately $60,000 (before deducting commissions and taxes) for his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, whereas the movie’s namesake earned a staggering $10 million.

On The Howard Stern Show in 2014, he mentioned that they offered him the smallest amount of money feasible. However, it was an opportunity to star in a Martin Scorsese film, so the actor from Moneyball was eager to finalize the agreement before anyone could reconsider.

Hill stated that he would give up his home and all his savings to work under Scorsese, as he passionately feels that such opportunities aren’t about accumulating wealth but rather doing what one truly cares about. He would gladly repeat the experience if given a chance. Money isn’t the motivation here; it’s about pursuing projects that matter deeply.

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

In an interview with Essence in 2023, the media tycoon revealed that they were given $35,000 to be part of a film, which turned out to be the most valuable $35,000 they ever made. This experience transformed their life and provided them with invaluable lessons.

Back in ’97, when Jennifer Lopez stepped into the iconic boots of Selena Quintanilla in the biopic “Selena,” I, as an ardent fan, couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. You see, she was the first Latina actress to rake in a million bucks for a movie, breaking barriers and setting new standards. Simply incredible!

In an interview with Variety back in 2019, Lopez shared that she was so young and naive about the situation surrounding her breakout film. Essentially, she didn’t fully understand what was happening, but she appreciated being offered such a substantial amount of money. It seemed to her as if everyone involved was making some kind of statement.

Consequently, she was able to generate even more hundreds of millions, with her involvement often coming at no expense.

Lopez shared with GQ in 2019 that he does things out of passion rather than for financial gain. He didn’t receive a large sum for Hustlers; instead, he did it without pay and even produced it himself. Essentially, he relies on his own abilities, much like the character Jenny From the Block—he follows his heart and does what he loves.

Adrien Brody didn’t take up “The Brutalist” for financial gain. Instead, he accepted the challenging part of a Hungarian architect struggling with his art in post-WWII America for $250,000, and eventually won his second Oscar as Best Actor.

Brody commented to Variety, “I require a film studio production right away, as I’ve invested everything into it,” hinting at the grand, castle-like barn he’s restoring in upstate New York.

Pete Davidson jokingly shared to New York magazine that when asked about his earnings during Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special, he would spend his money when he first joined at age 20 in 2014. In essence, he humorously stated that since each episode paid around $3,000, he mostly splurged on dinners.

As a lifestyle expert, I find it fascinating that the starting salaries for SNL newcomers have stayed relatively consistent over the years. For instance, legends like John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase were reportedly earning $750 per episode back in 1975 – which equates to approximately $3,300 in 2014, as calculated by the Consumer Price Index Inflation calculator. If we fast-forward to 2025, that same $750 from 1975 would be equivalent to around $4,428, showcasing how inflation adjusts our earnings over time.

In his current 22nd season on Saturday Night Live (SNL), Kenan Thompson earns significantly more than $3,000 per episode; however, as a former Nickelodeon star, he once had to begin from the ground up.

In Demi Lovato’s 2024 documentary, ‘Child Star’, the All That alum shared that when they received their first commercial paycheck, it was $800. At just 12 years old, this sum felt like a million dollars to them.

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

In a 2025 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lauren Graham, who played Lorelai Gilmore for seven seasons and later reappeared in the role for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016), stated that there are no residuals from Netflix. However, she added that her compensation has come in the form of love and appreciation.

Tommy Dorfman openly discussed her earnings from “13 Reasons Why” during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, an action that was taken in response to streaming platforms like Netflix not regularly providing extra compensation to actors and crew when a show becomes successful. This practice was one of the triggers for both the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

In a post on Threads dated July 24th, Dorfman shared that her total earnings for the first season of 13 reasons why, before agency and manager fees (which amounted to 20%) and taxes, were $29,953.24. This was for 8 episodes over a period of six months. She also mentioned that she did all the promotional work, had key art for the show, traveled round trip from NYC to SF for every episode shoot, and was often kept for days without pay or insurance, barely qualifying for it.

Moreover, Dorfman stated, “During its initial 28-day run, the show’s first season accumulated a grand total of 476 million viewing hours. This is the reason behind our assertion.

On his podcast, Dax Shepard admitted to Lauren Graham (a co-star from the TV series “Parenthood”) that during their run on NBC, he believed he was among the lowest paid actors in the show’s cast, spanning six seasons.

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

He mentioned that before becoming a parent, he always made an effort to discover the salaries of every job he held. He would either casually ask about it during conversations or use indirect means such as reaching out to agents for information.

He deliberately avoided finding information about his lineage within his family tree, which allowed him to fully appreciate the journey, even when he occasionally sensed his position in the corporate hierarchy.

George Clooney shared with the Los Angeles Times in 2005 that he had to take certain financial measures to make the film “Good Night, and Good Luck.” Specifically, he had to write a check endorsing his own name and give up his acting salary. Additionally, his co-writer and co-producer, Grant Heslov, also earned a dollar for their contributions.

Edward R. Murrow’s heartfelt exploration of CBS News journalist Edward R. Murrow standing up against power in the 1950s has proved quite popular: Clooney will be making his Broadway debut by portraying Murrow in a stage adaptation of the movie. Moreover, during its pre-opening week, the play generated an impressive $3.3 million (an unprecedented sum for a non-musical on Broadway), suggesting that Clooney is set to earn significantly more than $1 when it officially debuts on April 3.

In 2000, when Christian Bale portrayed Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho,” he was paid the absolute minimum wage allowed by law because most of the production team didn’t want to hire him; however, director Mary Harron was the only one who did, as Bale shared with GQ in 2022.

In his words, he earned such a small amount that he vividly recalls the makeup artists chuckling at him because he was being paid less than any of them while we were both in the makeup trailer.

Despite the possibility that his uncle could have been named Rico, Jon Heder clarified in 2010 that he was initially given just $1,000 for his role in Napoleon Dynamite at first.

Following the unexpected success of his comedic work, he managed to secure a share of the earnings in subsequent negotiations, casually mentioning to the New Zealand Herald, “They bumped it up a bit.

Djimon Hounsou stated that he feels he hasn’t been fairly compensated in the movie industry, even though he has an impressive resume boasting films like “Amistad” and “Blood Diamond”.

In an interview with Larry Madowo at CNN in January 2025, the Beninese actor shared that he’s worked in the film industry for more than twenty years. Despite two Oscar nominations and appearances in major blockbuster movies, he revealed his ongoing struggle to achieve financial stability.

In her 2024 memoir titled “Rebel Rising,” Rebel Wilson revealed that she was compensated $3,500 for her role in the movie Bridesmaids, a payment she later had to use to become a member of the Screen Actors Guild. In essence, this meant that after the union fees, she effectively received no pay for the role.

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

The Australian actress’s fame soared significantly over time, as her salary escalated from the SAG minimum wage of $65,000 for her role in 2012’s “Pitch Perfect” to a staggering $10 million for “Pitch Perfect 3” in 2017. According to Wilson, she earned a total of $20 million from the third installment, “Isn’t It Romantic,” and “The Hustle,” although it’s important to note that nearly half went to taxes, 10% to her agents, and another 5% to her lawyer. Despite these expenses and payments to her publicist, business manager, and assistant, Wilson was left with an enormous sum that she considered a substantial fortune.

Towards the end of 2017, Ellen Pompeo successfully negotiated a new deal for her role in Grey’s Anatomy, securing an impressive salary of $575,000 per episode. Additionally, she received a substantial signing bonus and two points of backend equity, which are estimated to be worth between $6 million and $7 million.

In 2018, Pompeo told The Hollywood Reporter that at age 48, she’s finally confident in asking for what she rightfully deserves. She explained, “I’m not the most trendy actress around, but being good on a show after 14 years? That takes real skill.

More recently, Ellen Pompeo has been contemplating her past experience of earning less than her co-star Patrick Dempsey, despite being ‘Grey’ herself. However, she emphasized that she did not hold any resentment towards him for the money he earned.

In a March 2025 episode of Call Her Daddy, she expressed, “Because I was the namesake of the show, I felt I deserved equal treatment. It was more difficult to obtain than what he received. I wasn’t resentful about his success. I was resentful that they didn’t appreciate me as much as they appreciated him, and they never will.

In 1978, when Jamie Lee Curtis made her film debut in Halloween, she was paid $2,000 per week, totaling $8,000 for the entire movie. As she shared with Rotten Tomatoes in 2018, “Frankly, nobody received any payment back then.

Despite earning four figures, director John Carpenter’s friend Nick Castle (who is the one whose face appears briefly when the killer’s mask comes off), felt like royalty with his daily wage of just $25 for playing the role of Michael Myers alongside him. It was also Anthony Moran and editor Tommy Lee Wallace who appeared on screen as Michael in parts of the film.

Back in the day, the whole filmmaking experience was quite the spectacle for me! As a fellow student at USC with Carpenter, I shared this with Vanity Fair in 2018. The appeal wasn’t just about being part of the project; it was about unveiling the mysteries of directing and movie-making. To be honest, I thought I’d be working for free on set. But little did I know, I’d end up getting $25 a day – not bad at all – and the cherry on top? Wearing a rubber mask!

Taraji P. Henson was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” However, even years after the film’s release, she remained passionate about the $150,000 she received for her role—a sum offered to her after producers declined her initial request of $500,000.

Regarding the principal actors in the movie, namely Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, Henson stated on the Ladies First With Laura Brown podcast in 2021 that “Back then, it was not common to hear about $20 million salaries, but that was the case. And justifiably so; I’m not implying they shouldn’t have been paid what they rightfully deserved for their performances.

As a die-hard fan, let me share this story: “I wasn’t just there to watch, I was contributing to the box office success too. At that point in my journey, what I was asking for seemed reasonable given the ticket sales I would boost for this massive movie. But they didn’t agree.” Henson felt crushed when they initially offered only $100,000, a memory she still carries. “In the end, I walked away with $150,000, but I had to swallow my pride, dear fan.

Henson pointed out, “People often say, ‘That’s a lot of money, $150,000!’ But I don’t want to come across as ungrateful, because I’m not. However, when you consider that half goes to taxes, that leaves around $75,000. Before taxes are deducted, I need to pay my team 30%. So after taxes take their 50% and my team takes another 30%, I might end up with about $40,000.

Although Cate Blanchett has accumulated significant wealth throughout her career, not all of it stemmed from portraying the character of royal elf Galadriel in the The Lord of the Rings film series, which earned a staggering $2.9 billion at global box offices.

In response to Andy Cohen’s guess that The Lord of the Rings was her largest income source during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live in August 2024, she clarified, “Absolutely not. Nobody received payment for that movie. To be honest, I mostly just enjoyed some complimentary sandwiches, and I got to keep my ears as a souvenir.

In other words, they didn’t receive a substantial sum of money, as you might have expected. Specifically, Orlando Bloom, who portrayed Legolas the elven warrior, revealed on The Howard Stern Show in 2023 that he earned just $175,000 for the entire trilogy.

Hopefully he also got to keep his ears.

Read More

2025-06-04 00:49