The Astonishing Truth Behind Actors' Residual Earnings: Unveiling the Surprising Figures Amidst WGA, SAG Strikes

Working actors can receive residual paychecks whenever a TV show they have appeared in airs reruns. These payments, even in the case of celebrities like Mandy Moore and Glen Powell, assist them in covering their living expenses during periods of unemployment.

"In my more than 20 years as a performer, I have witnessed the unpredictable nature of our industry. Back in July 2023, I expressed through an Instagram post how my career has experienced highs and lows. As someone who started acting during my teenage years, there have been occasions where finding work was incredibly challenging. These moments, which were common in the past, were when actors relied on residuals from previous projects to sustain themselves."

During that same month, Powell shared on Twitter that he used to rely on residuals for a significant period while striving to establish himself as a working actor.

Find out the true earnings of actors in residual payments by reading further.

Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore received residual checks for streaming earnings from 'This Is Us', in which she played a leading role alongside Milo Ventimiglia as Jack. Despite the show's success and Emmy wins from 2016 to 2022, Moore revealed during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in July 2023 that she had been receiving checks as low as 81 cents and even as low as a penny or two.

Robert Carradine

In August 2019, the actor who portrayed Hilary Duff's onscreen father in the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire, received a residual check from Walt Disney Pictures. Surprisingly, the check amounted to $0, although the specific program it was related to was not disclosed by Carradine. It is worth noting that Carradine has been involved in various other Disney projects apart from Lizzie McGuire.

Carradine's costars from the show Lizzie McGuire have also experienced similarly small residuals. In a podcast episode recapping Lizzie McGuire in March 2023, Davida Williams, who portrayed cheerleader Claire Miller, shared that she typically receives $3.50 or less.

Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie's younger brother Matt, added that in the past, they would have to take a large stack of residual checks to the bank each month for deposit. However, the stack would only amount to around $8, making it seem insignificant.

Kendrick Sampson

Sampson, known for his role as Nathan in the hit HBO series Insecure from 2018 to 2021, recently revealed on Instagram that he received 56 residual checks in July 2023. Despite the sizable number, the total amounting to only $86 fell short of covering his monthly expenses.

William Stanford Davis

In July 2023, via Instagram, Davis, renowned for his portrayal as Mr. Johnson on ABC's Abbott Elementary, shared an astonishing anecdote about receiving a check for only 5 cents. He emphasized that the costs of postage, paper, and other expenses far exceeded this minuscule amount. Davis passionately stated that this incident exemplifies the low value placed on actors. He further expressed the need to be on strike, advocating for improved wages, better residuals, and a share of the subscription revenue.

Kimiko Glenn

Kimiko Glenn, known for her role as Brook Soso in 'Orange Is The New Black,' recently shared several residual paystubs on TikTok in July 2023. However, the total earnings from these paystubs added up to just $27.

Constance Marie

In July 2023, Marie utilized TikTok to share her paystub details, revealing that she earned residuals ranging from 3 cents to 74 cents for repeat viewings of Freeform's show, Switched at Birth. It is worth mentioning that Marie played a significant role in the series for five years and even experienced an injury due to excessive American Sign Language usage.

Heather Matarazzo

The Princess Diaries star clapped back at TikTok fans’ assertions that she was rich by showing her residuals. Several of the checks were less than 10 cents each.

Jana Schmieding

In July 2023, Jana Schmieding, known for her role as Bev on 'Reservation Dogs,' gave fans a glimpse of her residuals from the show. She tweeted that she earns $.03 every quarter for unlimited worldwide streams on fx/hulu/DISNEY.

Brandee Evans

Evans, who is best known for her role as Mercedes Woodine on P-Valley, got three residual checks in July 2023 for $3.99, $4.67 and 1 cent, respectively.