Disney is one of the biggest names in entertainment, and with the roll-out of Disney Plus, they're churning out more branded content than ever. But fans haven't forgotten that in between their classic animated films and their new projects for streaming TV, Disney had one big hitmaker that is still as popular as ever: the Disney Channel.
Disney Channel, and its offshoot Disney Junior for the younger generation, has long attracted talented young stars who use the platform to launch their careers. Though some stars come out of the experience with some negative reflections, like two stars who were "pitted against" each other on their show, most agree that starting out on Disney was a great move for their careers.
And it's true, plenty of former Disney stars have moved past the channel and are still successful today. What fans really want to know, however, is just how much money the young actors and actresses earned while working for the Mouse.
After all, if the pay is super low, it may not be worth it for some of the stars to stick around once their shows ended. Thinking back to stars like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and Miley Cyrus, apart from a few cameos from time to time, all three ladies left Disney in their famous dust.
Though bigger-name Disney stars are now making millions from their music and sponsorships, how much cash were they pulling in while working per-episode on Disney? Seventeen has some figures to share, and the facts are enlightening.
Seventeen reported that sources said Rowan Blanchard, who was 12 at the time, was making $10K per episode while working on 'Girl Meets World.' Keep in mind that Rowan was a bit of an unknown at the time. Plus, the child star who played her little brother on the show, August Maturo, made about $8K per episode.
Other stars made the same amount or more, said Seventeen, citing reports that Miley Cyrus made about $15K per 'Hannah Montana' episode. Sources also suggest that the Sprouse twins were pulling in $20K per episode each for their time on 'The Suite Life.'
Those amounts pale in comparison to what the stars are making today, of course. But for a tween who's just starting his or her career on the Disney Channel, $200K or more per season of a show is nothing to scoff at.
Not to mention, each of the child stars who got their breakout role on Disney also used their clout with the Mouse to land other roles. Rowan Blanchard is on 'Snowpiercer,' Dover Cameron headed to Broadway, and Cole Sprouse wound up on 'Riverdale.'
Sure, these celebs work hard, but they also had a little Disney boost to help them make it happen.