Sophia Bush Reveals Shockingly Low One Tree Hill Salary

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Sophia Bush doesn’t want to be anything other than honest about her One Tree Hill salary.

The actress, now 43, shared that she earned less than many of her colleagues throughout her nine seasons on the popular teen show, which first aired on The WB in 2003 and continued on The CW until 2012.

During a recent Tech Futures panel, Sophia explained that everyone on the show had experience elsewhere. She pointed out that Hilarie Burton used to be a VJ on MTV and Bethany Joy Lenz had been on soap operas, while Sophia herself had been the philanthropy chair for her sorority at USC.

She continued, “So, the difference in pay scale was wild.”

As for how much money did she ended up making per episode?

After paying my managers, agents, and lawyers – plus covering publicists, taxes, and the $3,000 monthly rent for my apartment – I was left with around $3,000 per episode, Sophia explained.

 

Sophia says she’s still not receiving significant royalty payments from the show, even though it’s now available on streaming services like Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max.

She explained to podcast host Vivian Tu that the hope with television is often that the show will eventually be syndicated and generate ongoing income from residuals. However, when they agreed to do the show everyone loved, streaming services weren’t yet a factor, meaning that traditional syndication wasn’t an option.

The former Chicago Fire actor explained that because the show is shown on streaming services, the studio—not the actors—receives the money paid for its continued broadcast.

Sophia’s earning potential as an actress has gone up recently, but she says it was a long process to finally be able to ask for – and get – better pay.

After working in the industry for two decades, she finally earned the same pay as her male colleagues. ‘It was in my twentieth year that happened,’ she explained.

TopMob News has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment but hasn’t heard back.

To find out other celebrities’ paychecks, keep reaching…

According to Joe Giudice, he and his ex-wife, Teresa Giudice, barely made any money during the first season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. He revealed on his daughter Gia Giudice’s Casual Chaos podcast in August 2025 that they earned 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 recalled, “I remember that big party we threw in my living room. I’d estimate the whole first season cost me around $150,000.”

As a lifestyle expert and someone who’s been in the world of dance competition, I can tell you that winning Dancing With the Stars isn’t about the money! While there’s no big cash prize, everyone who reaches the finale does get paid for their time, and we all receive a really lovely bonus. I know this firsthand – I was thrilled to win season 33 with my partner, Joey Graziadei, and it’s a great experience all around.

Johnson explained that winning doesn’t come with a huge financial reward – it’s more about the trophy. While professional dancers’ earnings start around $1,200 to $1,600 per episode, potentially reaching $100,000 for the entire season (though ABC hasn’t confirmed these figures), celebrities begin with a $125,000 salary. As they progress in the competition, celebrities earn bonuses, with those reaching the semifinals and finals receiving up to an additional $50,000.

Jennifer Lawrence, who has won an Oscar, earned $25 million for her role in the Adam McKay-directed comedy 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 in December 2020/January 2021 that it’s often awkward for women to ask for equal pay. And when they do question a potential pay gap, they’re often told it’s not due to gender, without receiving a clear explanation of the difference.

Jennifer Lawrence’s optimistic 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.

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 film’s star.

Hill remembered being offered very little money for the role during a 2014 appearance on The Howard Stern Show. However, he was eager to accept because it was an opportunity to work with director Martin Scorsese, and he wanted to finalize the deal quickly before anyone reconsidered.

According to actor Jonah Hill, 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, he’d do anything – even give up his house and savings – to work on a project he truly cares about. He emphasized that passion, not profit, should drive creative choices, and he’d happily repeat the experience.

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

Oh my gosh, you guys, I read this interview with him and he said they only offered him $35,000 for that movie! Can you believe it?! But he said it was the best $35,000 he ever made! He said it totally changed his life and he learned so much from the experience. I seriously replay that movie all the time, and knowing that’s how it all started? It just makes it even more amazing! He’s just the best, honestly.

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

Looking back at the movie that launched her career, Lopez admitted to Variety in 2019 that she was naive at the time and didn’t fully understand what was happening. She was thrilled by the million-dollar offer and believes everyone involved was trying to prove a point.

This success allowed her to earn hundreds of millions of dollars more, 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 shared that she didn’t make a lot of money on Hustlers, even producing it herself, 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 accepted the role of a struggling Hungarian architect in post-World War II America for a salary of $250,000 and went on to win his second Best Actor Oscar.

Brody told Variety he’s ready for a big studio film, explaining he’s invested everything he has into renovating a large, castle-like barn in upstate New York.

When asked about his early spending habits after joining Saturday Night Live at age 20 in 2014, Pete Davidson joked to New York magazine, “Do you guys know what we even made?” He explained that 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 earned $750 per episode. When adjusted for inflation, that’s about $3,300 in 2014, and approximately $4,428 in 2025.

Okay, so Kenan Thompson is a LEGEND, right? He’s been on SNL for like, forever – 22 seasons! It’s insane! He makes a ton now, obviously, but it’s so cool to think back to when he was starting out on Nickelodeon. He definitely had to work his way up to being the superstar he is today, and I’ve been following his whole journey!

In Demi Lovato’s 2024 documentary, Child Star, a former cast member of All That shared that their first paycheck was $800. They added that, being 12 years old 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 in the original series and its 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, Graham joked that while she isn’t paid financially for the show’s continued popularity, she’s been compensated with ‘love and appreciation’ from fans.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the SAG-AFTRA strike closely, and it’s been so important to hear actors speak out. Tommy Dorfman, for example, shared during the strike that her paycheck for 13 Reasons Why didn’t increase even after the show became a huge success on Netflix. This really highlights one of the main issues driving both the actors’ and writers’ strikes – the fact that streamers often don’t offer extra compensation to those involved in a show once it’s become popular. It’s about fair pay for work that clearly resonates with audiences!

Dorfman shared on Threads on July 24th that she earned $29,953.24 for the first season of 13 Reasons Why before her agency, manager (combined 20%), and taxes took their cut. She worked on 8 episodes over six months, doing all the promotional work and appearing in key artwork for the show. She also flew back and forth between New York City and San Francisco to film each episode, and often worked for days without pay or insurance coverage.

Dorfman also noted that the show’s first season quickly became incredibly popular, racking up 476 million hours of viewing within its first 28 days – a key 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 on the six-season NBC drama. He didn’t reveal any specific salaries or names, but confirmed he earned significantly less than many of his colleagues.

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 usually learn this either by directly asking them or by checking with my agent behind the scenes.

He deliberately avoided finding out details about his family’s history with the company, and that allowed him to enjoy the experience, even when he started to realize how much he was being paid compared to others.

You know, getting a film made sometimes means making some serious sacrifices! I remember back in 2005, I was telling the Los Angeles Times about how we financed Good Night, and Good Luck. It was a real labor of love – Grant Heslov and I practically worked for a dollar each! I actually had to endorse my check as the director and give up my acting salary just to get it off the ground. It just goes to show you, passion projects often require a bit of creative financing!

I was absolutely captivated by George Clooney’s passion project – his portrayal of CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow, a real champion of speaking truth to power back in the 1950s. It was incredible to see him bring that story to the Broadway stage, and he performed for months! The show wrapped up its run in June 2025. What really blew everyone away, though, was how successful it was before it even officially opened. It broke a Broadway record for non-musical plays, earning a staggering $3.3 million during previews starting April 3rd. Clearly, it was a huge hit, and he earned far more than just a dollar from it!

Christian Bale revealed in a 2022 interview with GQ that he earned very little for his iconic role as Patrick Bateman in the 2000 film American Psycho. He explained that the production wasn’t initially keen on casting him, and it was only due to the support of director Mary Harron that he was hired – and at the lowest possible legal wage.

Bale recalled earning so little during one job that the makeup artists on set actually laughed at him, as he was paid less than they were.

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

Once the unexpectedly successful comedy film took off, he was able to negotiate a share of the earnings. He told the New Zealand Herald that the offer was increased.

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 the film industry for over twenty years, and having received two Oscar nominations and starred in several major blockbuster movies, he continues to struggle financially.

In her 2024 memoir, Rebel Rising, Rebel Wilson revealed she earned just $3,500 for her work on Bridesmaids. However, she had to use the entire amount to pay her Screen Actors Guild initiation fees, 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. The deal also included a substantial signing bonus and equity in the show, 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. She believes this self-assurance comes with experience. While she acknowledges the industry may not see her as a current ‘it’ girl due to her long-running role of 14 years, she argues that maintaining quality performance over such a long period is a real accomplishment. ‘Anyone can be good in the first couple seasons,’ she said, ‘but staying good after 14 years? That takes skill.’

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 central character. However, she says she doesn’t resent him for it.

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 highly, and she believed that would always be the case.

Oh my god, can you believe it? Jamie Lee Curtis actually told Rotten Tomatoes that she only made $8,000 for the original Halloween! Eight thousand dollars for launching her career, for being Laurie Strode! She said, and I quote, that ‘nobody got paid anything!’ It’s just… incredible to think about. She was getting around $2,000 a week, which sounds like a fortune now for a horror movie debut back in ’78, but still! It’s just so humbling to hear, and it makes me love her even more. Seriously, a legend!

Although the lead actress made a good amount of money, director John Carpenter’s friend, Nick Castle, felt like he was living large earning $25 a day for sharing the role of Michael Myers. (Interestingly, it’s 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 quite an undertaking,” 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 about filmmaking firsthand and see how a director worked. “I figured I’d just be a fly on the wall for free,” he explained, “but I actually got paid $25 a day—all I had to do was wear 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 Henson 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 were worth the cost.

Look, as someone who’s navigated a lot of career negotiations, I always say you have to know your worth. In this particular situation, I felt like I was bringing a lot to the table – my star power and the ticket sales I could generate for this big movie – and my salary request was reasonable. Honestly, I wouldn’t have accepted anything less. I was really disappointed when the initial offer was only $100,000 – it really stung! In the end, I did manage to negotiate it up to $150,000, but it was tough. Sometimes you have to set your pride aside to get the job done, and that’s what I had to do.

Henson understands people might think $150,000 is a large sum of money, and she wants to make it clear she isn’t ungrateful. However, she explained that after taxes and paying her team, the actual amount she receives is significantly less. She estimated that after the government takes 50%, she’s left with $75,000. Then, after paying her team 30% of the original amount, she might only have around $40,000 remaining.

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

She was shocked when Andy Cohen suggested The Lord of the Rings was her highest-paying role during an August 2024 appearance on Watch What Happens Live. “Absolutely not,” she replied. “Nobody made any money on that film—I practically got paid in sandwiches, and I was allowed to keep my elf 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.

Hopefully he also got to keep his ears.

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2025-11-14 00:25