1. Movie Actors:
- Lead Actors: Lead actors in major Hollywood productions can earn millions of dollars per film. Top-tier movie stars can get paid anywhere between $10 million to $20 million or more per movie.
- Supporting Actors: Supporting actors with well-established careers can make hundreds of thousands of dollars to several million dollars per film, depending on their role and screentime.
- Character Actors: Character actors, who play smaller but memorable roles, can make anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars per movie.
2. Television Actors:
- Lead Actors: Lead actors in successful TV series can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars to over a million dollars per episode, especially in long-running shows with high ratings.
- Supporting Actors: Supporting actors on TV series can earn tens of thousands of dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars per episode, depending on their roles.
- Recurring Actors: Actors who appear in multiple episodes but not as main characters can earn varying amounts, usually starting from tens of thousands of dollars per episode.
3. Stage Actors:
- Broadway: Actors performing in Broadway shows can make anywhere from a few thousand dollars a week to several thousand dollars, depending on the production, their experience, and their role.
- Regional Theater: Actors in regional theater companies may earn several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars per week, depending on the company, location, and specific production.
4. Commercial Actors:
- National Commercials: Actors in national TV commercials can earn varying amounts, ranging from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars or more per commercial, depending on the size and budget of the campaign.
- Local Commercials: Local commercials have smaller budgets and typically pay less, with payments starting from a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand dollars.
5. Film Extras:
- Background Performers: Extras, who form part of the background crowd in movies and TV shows, usually get paid a daily rate, which can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on the production and location.
6. Union Rates:
- Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) are the main unions that represent actors in the United States. SAG-AFTRA negotiates minimum salaries and working conditions for its members, ensuring certain pay guarantees based on the actor's role, the project's budget, and other factors.
It's worth noting that the entertainment industry is highly competitive, and actors' income can be influenced by factors such as demand for their services, the specific market they're working in, and their overall career trajectory.