She’s been one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood ever since landing her big break on That ‘70s Show in 1998, but over the years, Mila Kunis has expanded her streams of income through many sources, including her longtime position playing Meg Griffin on Family Guy.
Kunis joined the hit show in 2000 after replacing Lacey Chabert, who had voiced the character during its first series, and while her earnings weren’t anything out of the ordinary when she got the job, in 2013, the actress secured a lucrative deal that would see her make up to $225,000 per episode.
Family Guy continues to make tons of money for Fox through advertisements, reportedly charging up to $250,000 for a 30-second commercial, so it’s understandable why Kunis, who reportedly started with $15,000 an episode, would have her contract renegotiated. Today, the mother-of-two is worth $66 million and a good chunk of that was amassed from her earnings on FG, but how just much has she been making from the animated sitcom since 2000?
How Much Does Mila Kunis Make On Family Guy?
When the A-list actress first joined Family Guy, she wasn’t making the big bucks that she earns from the show today.
Her salary per episode was estimated to have been around $15,000 per episode, which is understandable given how networks will usually renegotiate a deal at the end of a series based on ratings among its target demographic.
Well, Family Guy proved to be a ratings hits right from the start, and while it was never disclosed how much Kunis was making after receiving a salary increase, it was in November 2013 when The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the actress, along with Alex Borstein, Seth Green, and Mike Henry, had scored big raises.
Though the publication didn’t mention what their salaries were before signing off on their new contracts, all four main cast members were earning between $175,000 to $225,000 when the show entered its 12th season in 2014.
"According to multiple sources, the four-member voice cast was able to secure between $175,000 and $225,000 each per episode for at least two more seasons – and as many as five seasons of the series,” THR revealed at the time.
"Show creator Seth MacFarlane, who voices several roles including main character Peter Griffin, son Stewie and martini-swilling dog Brian, will negotiate separately because his deal with 20th TV has several other components.”
The main reason why Kunis and her co-stars were able to secure a hefty salary increase was simply down to the fact that the show was performing extremely well with its younger-skewing male audience, repeated episodes earned upwards of 2.5 million viewers, and commercials were still selling for $250,000 for a 30-second spot.
It should also be mentioned that Fox also makes plenty of profits from merchandise and licensing sales, all of which contributed to the renegotiation of contracts for its lead stars - and rightfully so.
While some might not find the sum impressive - especially when compared to her husband Ashton Kutcher’s $750,000 salary per episode on Two And A Half Men - Kunis has starred in over 320 episodes of Family Guy, and in 2013, she was earning an estimated $200,000 an episode.
So, while Kutcher may have been walking away with more money playing Walden Schmidt for four seasons - before CBS’s decision to cancel the show in 2015 - Kunis continues to voice Meg Griffin to this day, so her source of income from Fox seems much more reliable because she’s been on FG since 2000.
Why Did Mila Kunis Replace Lacey Chabert On Family Guy?
Many have wondered how Kunis ended up with the role of Meg Griffin, a character which was once voiced by Chabert, who is probably most famous for her role as Gretchen Wieners in the 2004 comedy flick Mean Girls.
In a 2006 interview with GameSpy, the actress explained that she was never fired from the show, nor was there any sort of tension between her and show creator Seth MacFarlane. The reason why she stepped away was simply due to her education and already being tied to other projects at the time; she never intended to be part of the show for longer than one series.
“I actually left the show of my own accord,” she revealed. “And only because I was in school and doing Party of Five at the time. But I think the show is hilarious, and don't have a grudge against her at all. I think she's a great actress.
Then, in a 2012 interview with IGN, MacFarlane touched on the subject, saying that while there were no ill feelings towards Chabert, he did think that when Kunis was hired for the role, she brought something unique to the character.
“She [Lacey] wanted to go, and she was very cool about it. We obviously don't want to keep anyone there who doesn't want to be there. So, you know, it was early on enough in the show that it wasn't a huge - that happens from time to time, you've got to replace a voice actor.
“Fortunately, what Mila brought to it, Mila Kunis, was in a lot of ways, I thought, almost more right for the character.”