What Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and More Shared About Their Salaries

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Hollywood is used to celebrity breakups.

However, fans were still surprised when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban announced their split after 19 years of marriage.

The Oscar-winning actress filed for divorce from the country music star in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 30th, citing “irreconcilable differences,” as reported by TopMob News.

TopMob News also discovered that they had been living separately since early summer, and legal documents revealed they had already signed an agreement outlining how to divide their property and care for their daughters, Sunday, 17, and Faith, 15, weeks before the filing-Kidman signed on September 6th, and Urban on August 29th.

Details within the parenting plan shed light on the couple’s finances. A copy obtained by TopMob News showed that both Kidman and Urban each earn more than $100,000 per month and will not be paying each other child support. The marriage dissolution agreement also stated that “neither party shall pay any amount and/or form of alimony or spousal support to the other.”

It wasn’t just Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban grabbing attention with financial news recently. Amy Duggar King revealed she wasn’t compensated for being on 19 Kids and Counting, the show featuring her uncle Jim Bob Duggar, aunt Michelle Duggar, and their family.

He explained to us that 19 Kids and Counting wasn’t just a TV show, but a religious effort, and that our participation was meant to spread positivity and be part of that work, believing it was God’s plan for us,” the 39-year-old shared on the Oct. 1 episode of Nick Viall’s podcast The Viall Files. “Did we get paid? Absolutely not. Not a single penny.”

Amy also mentioned she “signed a contract without really knowing what it said.” Regarding how much money Jim Bob earned from the show?

“I actually did some research,” she continued. “I believe it was more than $6 million. Yes. A ministry, he said. A ministry.” She also pointed out that he’s very interested in property, having purchased numerous houses and land. “He’s a smart investor. He really is. He’s a businessman who knows what he’s doing. But still, he calls it a ministry.”

TopMob News contacted the Duggar family for a statement but hasn’t received a response.

To find out what other celebrities have said about their earnings, continue reading.

As someone who keeps up with reality TV finances, let me tell you what Joe Giudice recently shared – and it’s a bit surprising! He revealed that he and Teresa Giudice didn’t make much at all for their first season on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. On his daughter Gia Giudice‘s Casual Chaos podcast back in August 2025, he said they earned around $25,000. He even admitted it was “ridiculous,” but they took it in stride. It just goes to show how much things have changed for the cast over the years!

And the ingredients used to create that initial, popular season weren’t inexpensive. “I believe the first year, we had a large party in my living room,” the father of four recalled. “I estimate that show cost me $150,000 during its first year.”

As a longtime fan, I always wondered about the financial side of Dancing With the Stars. Well, Jenna Johnson, who took home the mirrorball with Joey Graziadei last season, recently let us know that there isn’t a cash prize for winning, but she explained that “whoever makes it to the finale, you all get paid up until then.” She also added that they do get a nice bonus, which is great to hear!

Johnson explained that winning doesn’t mean a huge payout. She said, “If you win, it’s not like you get a million dollars. You’re just getting a cute trophy together.” She also clarified that contestants are guaranteed a spot for a certain number of weeks, stating, “You’re guaranteed until a certain amount of weeks.”

Several reports indicate that professional dancers earn around $1,200 to $1,600 per episode, potentially increasing to as much as $100,000 for the entire season. (ABC hasn’t officially confirmed these figures.) Celebrities, however, start with a salary of $125,000. As they progress in the competition, stars receive bonuses, with those reaching the semifinals and finals earning up to an additional $50,000.

As a big fan of both of them, I was really surprised to learn how much Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio earned for Don’t Look Up! Apparently, Jennifer received $25 million for being in Adam McKay’s hilarious disaster comedy, but Leonardo actually made $30 million. It’s interesting to see those numbers, even though they both deserved a lot for their work!

“Honestly, Leo earns more at the box office than I do,” Lawrence explained to Vanity Fair for its December 2020/January 2021 issue. “I feel very lucky and satisfied with my contract. However, I’ve noticed-and I’m certain other women experience this too-that asking for equal pay is often really awkward. And if you do point out a possible difference in pay, you’re usually told it’s not about gender, but they won’t give you a clear reason why.”

Jennifer Lawrence’s optimistic outlook didn’t come easily: The discovery in the 2014 Sony email hack that she was paid less than her male colleagues in the 2013 film American Hustle sparked a widespread discussion about unequal pay for women in Hollywood.

I feel very lucky to have the work that I do. It’s not about financial issues for me,” Lawrence explained to the U.K.’s Channel 4 News in 2017. “I didn’t feel bad about earning only a few million dollars for a film – that idea is absurd. What really bothered me was the injustice and the lack of fairness.”

Compared to DiCaprio’s earnings, Jonah Hill received a much smaller amount: $60,000 (before deductions) for his work in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street, while the main character earned $10 million.

I remember when I first got offered the role, they really gave me the minimum possible payment,” I shared on The Howard Stern Show back in 2014. But honestly, it was the opportunity to be in a Martin Scorsese film that mattered most. I was so eager to finalize the deal – I didn’t want anyone to have second thoughts and potentially take that chance away! As an alum of Moneyball, I knew a good opportunity when I saw one.

“I’d happily sell my house and give him all my savings to work with Scorsese,” Hill stated. He received his second Best Supporting Actor nomination for playing a nervous, drug-using stockbroker. “The point of working isn’t just to earn money. You do 22 Jump Street, or other projects, to cover your expenses. I would have done absolutely anything for that opportunity, and I’d do it again immediately. It’s not about the money; you should pursue things you’re passionate about.”

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

“The film offered just $35,000, but it was the best $35,000 I’ve ever made,” the billionaire media mogul shared with Essence in 2023. “It completely transformed things and gave me invaluable lessons.”

After landing the part of the late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 movie Selena, Jennifer Lopez made history as the first Latina actress to be paid $1 million for a film role.

Oh my gosh, when I think back to it, I was just a baby and had *no* idea what was happening! Variety quoted Jennifer Lopez saying this about her first big movie back in 2019, and it’s SO true. She said it was amazing they offered her a $1 million – a MILLION! – and she really felt like everyone involved was trying to prove something. It’s just… iconic, you know? I’ve re-read that article a million times!

This opened doors for her to earn hundreds of millions of dollars more, and sometimes she doesn’t even need to invest any money herself.

“I pursue projects that genuinely excite me,” Lopez told GQ in 2019. “I wasn’t highly compensated for Hustlers. I took on the project without pay and also produced it myself. I rely on my own instincts and abilities, you know? Similar to the spirit of Jenny From the Block-I always follow my passions.”

Adrien Brody wasn’t motivated by money when he accepted the role in The Brutalist. He chose to play a Hungarian architect struggling with his work in America after World War II, earning $250,000 and ultimately winning his second Academy Award for Best Actor.

“I’m really hoping to do a big studio film soon, because I’ve invested everything I have into this project,” Brody joked to Variety, explaining that he was talking about the “barn that looks like a castle” he’s currently restoring in upstate New York.

“Do you all know how much we earned?” Pete Davidson jokingly asked New York magazine when reflecting on his early days at Saturday Night Live. He was responding to a question about how he spent his money after being hired at age 20 in 2014. “It was around three thousand dollars per episode, so I probably just bought dinner.”

It’s worth noting that pay for new cast members on SNL has stayed consistent over time. In 1975, the original season one stars – John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase – were each reportedly paid $750 per episode. When adjusted for inflation, that amount was about $3,300 in 2014. (As of 2025, that $750 would be equivalent to $4,428.)

Although Kenan Thompson now earns far more than $3,000 per episode of SNL – especially as he begins his 22nd season, a record for the show – he, like everyone, had humble beginnings.

“The first time I got paid for a commercial, it was $800,” the All That alum shared in Demi Lovato‘s 2024 documentary Child Star. “Being 12 years old, it felt like a million dollars.”

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

Lauren Graham, known for playing Lorelai Gilmore for seven seasons and then returning for 2016’s Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, recently shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live in March 2025 that “There aren’t any royalties paid by Netflix.” She added with a smile, “But I’ve been compensated with love and gratitude instead.”

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Tommy Dorfman revealed details about her pay for 13 Reasons Why. The strike, like the WGA strike, was partially caused by streaming services such as Netflix not consistently offering extra payment to actors and crew when their shows became successful.

Okay, so I was just looking back at everything, and I can’t believe it, but I earned $29,953.24 for the whole first season of 13 reasons why! That was *before* my agent and manager took their 20% cut, and *before* taxes, of course. It was 8 episodes filmed over six months. And honestly? I did *all* the promotion, I was on all the Threads posts, and I was even on the KEY ART for the show! I flew back and forth, round trip, from NYC to SF for *every single* episode, and they kept me there for days, working without pay! It was insane. I *barely* even qualified for insurance. I just…I can’t believe it all happened.

And, Dorfman also mentioned that, “during the first 28 days after it launched, the show’s first season accumulated a remarkable 476 million hours of viewership. That’s the reason we’re taking action.”

Without revealing any specific names or figures, Dax Shepard shared with Parenthood co-star Lauren Graham – when she was a guest on his podcast – that he was one of the lowest-paid actors on their six-season NBC series.

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

He explained that before becoming a parent, he always made it a priority to discover the salaries of his colleagues. “Every job I had ever had in my life prior to Parenthood, I made a point to find out what everyone was making,” he said. “I’d always figure it out-either through direct conversations or by discreetly asking around through an agent.

He deliberately chose not to find out details about his Parenthood family history, and this allowed him to enjoy the experience, even when he did start to realize his position within the show’s salary structure.

In 2005, George Clooney shared with the Los Angeles Times how he financed his film Good Night, and Good Luck. He explained that he essentially paid out of pocket, endorsing his check for directing and foregoing his acting salary. Grant Heslov, who was an actor, cowriter, and coproducer, and Clooney each only earned a dollar for their work on the project.

The passion project focusing on CBS News journalist Edward R. Murrow and his courageous reporting in the 1950s proved successful. Clooney marked his Broadway premiere by portraying Murrow in a stage version of the film, concluding his run in June 2025. The play also achieved significant financial success, earning a Broadway record (for a non-musical) of $3.3 million during its preview week before its official opening on April 3, demonstrating it was a very profitable venture.

In 2022, Christian Bale revealed to GQ that he received “the lowest wage they could legally offer” for his unsettling performance as Patrick Bateman in the 2000 film American Psycho. He explained that only the director, Mary Harron, was keen on casting him, and the production team wasn’t particularly enthusiastic.

I remember hearing Christian Bale share a really striking story. He said he was once earning so little that he was actually the butt of jokes! He recalled sitting in the makeup trailer and the makeup artists were literally laughing at him because he was getting paid less than *they* were. It just shows you how much he’s dedicated to his craft, even when things were tough.

Oh my gosh, you will not believe this! I just found out that even though his uncle was Rico – Rico! – Jon Heder only got paid $1,000 for Napoleon Dynamite! He told everyone back in 2010 that it was just $1,000 initially. Can you even imagine?! It’s insane that the guy who *is* Napoleon only made that much for such an iconic movie!

Once the humorous and unconventional comedy unexpectedly became popular, he successfully asked for a share of the earnings. He explained to the New Zealand Herald, “They increased the amount a bit.”

Djimon Hounsou has stated he feels “definitely underpaid” for his work in Hollywood, even with a successful career that includes notable films like Amistad and Blood Diamond.

The Beninese actor shared with CNN’s Larry Madowo in January 2025 that after more than two decades in the film industry, he continues to face financial hardship. Despite receiving two Oscar nominations and appearing in numerous successful blockbuster movies, he’s still finding it difficult to earn a living.

Rebel Wilson shared in her 2024 memoir, Rebel Rising, that she earned $3,500 for her work on Bridesmaids. However, she explained that this entire amount went to the Screen Actors Guild as a fee to join the union, meaning she effectively received no payment for the film.

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

The Australian actress’ career continued to soar, and her salary increased dramatically. She earned the standard union minimum of $65,000 for Pitch Perfect in 2012, but by 2017’s Pitch Perfect 3, she was making $10 million. Wilson stated she earned a total of $20 million from Pitch Perfect 3, Isn’t It Romantic and The Hustle, but-after accounting for taxes, agents, and her lawyer-she lost around 50 percent to taxes, 10 percent to agents, and 5 percent to legal fees. Even after paying her publicist, business manager, and assistant, Wilson considered her earnings to be a significant fortune.

Toward the end of 2017, Ellen Pompeo successfully negotiated a new deal for Grey’s Anatomy. This included a salary of $575,000 per episode, a substantial signing bonus reaching seven figures, and two full backend equity points, estimated to be worth between $6 million and $7 million.

In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Pompeo explained that at 48, she felt comfortable requesting fair compensation. She believes this self-assurance comes with experience. “I recognize I’m not considered the most ‘current’ actress,” she said, acknowledging the industry’s view after playing the same character for 14 years. “It’s easy to do well in the first couple seasons of a show. But can you still deliver a strong performance after 14 years? That’s a real skill.”

Looking back on the fact that she consistently earned less than her Patrick Dempsey, despite being the central character – she was, after all, the ‘Grey’ in the show – Pompeo explained she didn’t resent him for his higher salary.

However, she explained on a March 2025 episode of Call Her Daddy, “Since I was the person the show was named after, I felt I deserved equal treatment, and it was difficult to achieve. I wasn’t upset that he received what he did. I was frustrated that they didn’t appreciate me as much as they appreciated him, and I believe that will always be the case.”

Jamie Lee Curtis remembers earning $2,000 per week, totaling $8,000, for her first movie, 1978’s Halloween. She explained to Rotten Tomatoes in 2018, “Nobody really received much money at all.”

Although the actress who played the scream queen made a good amount of money – around four figures – director John Carpenter‘s friend Nick Castle felt quite wealthy earning $25 a day for sharing the role of Michael Myers. (Actually, 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.)

“It felt like a huge deal back then!” Castle, a USC film school classmate of Carpenter’s, explained to Vanity Fair in 2018. “I was mainly interested in getting on set to learn how movies are made and to understand directing. I figured I’d be there for free. But, surprisingly, I got paid $25 a day-and all I had to do was wear a rubber mask.”

Taraji P. Henson received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work 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-and being turned down for-a $500,000 fee.

Regarding the film’s stars, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, Henson explained on the Ladies First With Laura Brown podcast in 2021, “It wasn’t common to see $20 million salaries back then, but that’s what was happening.” He added, “And they deserved it-I’m not suggesting they shouldn’t have been paid what they earned.”

However, she went on to say, “I was also bringing a lot to the role, and I felt my salary request was reasonable given my potential contribution to the film’s ticket sales. I just wouldn’t have accepted less.” Henson said she was devastated when the initial offer was only $100,000. “In the end, I got $150,000, but I had to set my ego aside,” she recalled.

To explain further, Henson said, “I hear people say, ‘$150,000 is a huge amount of money!’” She quickly added, “I never want anyone to think I’m unappreciative, because that’s just not who I am.” However, she then explained the financial realities: “The government will take about half of that, leaving around $75,000. But before taxes, I have to pay my team 30 percent. So, after the government takes its share and then my team gets paid, I might only be left with around $40,000?”

I’ve been a huge fan of Cate Blanchett for years, and while she’s definitely done incredibly well financially, people often assume it’s *all* down to her role as the regal Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings. And yes, that franchise did amazingly – it brought in $2.9 billion worldwide – but she’s built her success through so much more than just that one role, honestly.

“You’re joking, right?” she responded on Watch What Happens Live in August 2024 when Andy Cohen suggested LOTR was her most lucrative role. “Nobody actually earned any money from that film… I pretty much just received free food, and I was allowed to keep the prosthetic ears.”

The pay wasn’t very high, actually. Orlando Bloom, known for his role as the elven warrior Legolas, revealed on The Howard Stern Show in 2023 that he earned $175,000 for all three films in the trilogy.

Hopefully he also got to keep his ears.

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2025-10-05 15:20