Celebrity is a matter of perspective. Aspiring actors hope for careers filled with roles that challenge them, keep them busy, and earn them steady paychecks. Alyson Hannigan checks all these boxes, thanks to an acting career that spans more than three decades. Alyson has come a long way from her 1988 film debut in the mostly forgettable movie, My Stepmother is an Alien.
Well-known for her roles in the trifecta of popular projects, American Pie, How I Met Your Mother, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alyson has often played the lovable geek. Many people don’t know that she was really a band kid growing up, playing the clarinet until giving it up when she reached high school.
When people think about the actors with the most money, they often think of stars with huge movie roles and award-winning films, rather than actors who do popular TV work. However, popular lineup staples like Friends paved the way for actors to make a mint from their long-running shows. Thanks to syndication and a loyal fan base, television actors have been able to amass notable riches.
Today, Alyson Hannigan is worth over 30 million dollars; this is how she’s made and maintained her high net worth.
15 Childhood Roles
Like many child actors, Hannigan dipped her toe into the waters of acting through commercial work. Through the mid-1980s and beyond, she could be spotted in numerous TV commercials, and even in an early film role alongside Seth Green, who later became a love interest on the popular series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
14 She's Lovin' It!
From someone who was a long-time vegan, it’s a little funny that one of the commercials that got her to “the big leagues” was a McDonald's one. Hannigan admitted that once she got pregnant in 2009 she fell off the vegan wagon, infuriating a lot of vegan advocates. Hannigan said, “I basically went from being a vegan to … well, now it’s meat and cheese. … I didn’t eat any meat or cheese before. Now, I have to.”
13 From Celeb Babysitting Gigs To A Household Name
Clearly this wasn’t where the big money was made, but before making it big, Alyson made money the same way a lot of teenagers do - babysitting. Teens providing sitting services in areas like L.A. are bound to run into some celebrities who need childcare. Little did Hannigan know that one of her clients, Bob Saget, would become a voice actor on the second hit television series of her Hollywood career.
12 Taking Her Slice Of The American Pie Franchise
Alyson’s role as the cute and quirky band geek in American Pie helped make her a household name. When she reprised her role as Michelle in the third film, American Wedding, Hannigan was reportedly paid 3 million dollars. Not bad, but the other leads, Jason Biggs and Seann William Scott, managed to bring in five million apiece for reprising their roles in the third movie.
11 Before HIMYM, She Was On Buffy
The popular show, based on the cult classic film, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, remains a staple for many vampire-loving audiences today. Of course, she was also one of the main “Scooby gang”...and she was a fan favorite. During the peak of BTVS, Alyson reportedly earned 225K per episode - roughly 5.4 million dollars per season.
10 Building Her Portfolio & Paycheck
By not leaving much of a gap between her work on Buffy, American Pie, and HIMYM Alyson was able to remain in high demand. Buffy ran from 1999 to 2003 and How I Met Your Mother ran from 2004 to 2015, giving the star 15 years in the spotlight, during what was most likely the peak of her career.
9 A Tough Negotiator
Just prior to the final season of HIMYM, the entire cast went into negotiations. Following the Friends model, united as a team, each actor (Hannigan included) managed to get $300K per episode, plus additional fees for future syndication of the show. This means Hannigan took home eight million dollars for season nine of the show.
8 HIMYM Money For Years
If they play their cards right, the actors on HIYMYM will only need to act again if they want to. It’s estimated that each of the core cast earns somewhere around two million bucks each year, from syndication alone. Add in her Buffy the Vampire Slayer syndication cash and Hannigan is clearly laughing all the way to the bank.
7 Disney Jr. Voice Work
Voice work can be a lucrative business, and it’s also a lower-commitment gig, compared to regular acting work on a popular TV show. Price paid depends on how much work is required each week, how far you travel, and the length and size of the project. While her work on 26 episodes of Fancy Nancy wasn’t bringing in HIMYM cash, it certainly padded her nest egg a little.
6 Per Episode Earnings
At the beginning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, most of the cast was virtually unknown. By the time the series wrapped in 2003, Hannigan was earning 250K per episode. This put her in a great negotiating position when she was cast on HIMYM, as she was one of the two most established actors on the core cast.
5 Hubby's Work On Angel
Alyson Hannigan met her husband, Alexis Denisof, met when he was cast to play Wesley Wyndam-Pryce on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and later on Angel. While Denisof doesn’t make the same amount of coin that she does, he’s still a working actor with 50 credits to his name. Most recently, he worked on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
4 Flipping Houses Just Like Mom
Growing up, Alyson’s mom worked in real estate. Apparently, Alyson is a chip off the old block. In 2002, she bought a home in Santa Monica for 1.96 million dollars. She sold that home in 2018 for 8.156 million dollars, turning quite a profit. In 2018, she bought another mansion for eight million dollars - she made 150K when she sold it a year later.
3 Other Cameos & Roles We Forgot About
While cameo work doesn’t earn a ton of money for actors, it helps keep them relevant. It’s also a fun way to act without a huge time commitment. Many people will remember some of Alyson’s cameo work. Hannigan has been on The Simpsons, Veronica Mars, American Dad, Robot Chicken, That '70s Show, and Angel.
2 Working The Comic-Con Circuit
Praise for your work is always fun. Members of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and HIMYM routinely get asked to attend industry events to schmooze with fans. Alyson usually attends about one to two of these types of events each year. She is currently scheduled to attend 'Wizard World' in Chicago this coming August.
1 What's Next For Her?
While a lot of filming is up in the air right now, because of COVID-19, Alyson still has two projects in pre-production and one in post-production. These are 2020 projects, so be on the lookout for the film, Dodie and Cheryl Get Hitched, where she will star opposite Mira Sorvino. Hannigan will also be starring in the family-focused project, Flora and Ulysses, opposite Ben Schwartz, Danny Pudi, and Kate Micucci.
Sources: Screen Rant, What Culture, Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth, Wolf of Wealth, CNBC