The world of television animation is a fickle one, as plenty of projects come along without finding the success that the giants of the industry have. These shows are now catered to audiences of all ages in an attempt to find success, but only a few are truly able to break the mold and hold their place.
The Simpsons are one of the most important television shows of all time, and at this point, there is virtually nothing left to accomplish. Being the juggernaut that it is, it makes sense that the voice cast would be making bank, but the truth is that it has been an uphill climb for those involved.
Let’s look at how the voice cast for The Simpsons took matters into their own hands to get the money they deserved.
They Were At $30,000 In The 90s
The Simpsons are one of the most loved and celebrated shows of all time, and the primary voice actors are a huge reason why people fell in love with the characters years ago and why they keep coming back for more after all this time. However, things with the cast’s pay have certainly caught people’s attention over time.
According to The Age, back in the 90s, the primary cast was making $30,000 per episode. This is a decent salary but was nowhere close to matching what they should have been making. After all, the franchise was a juggernaut on the small screen that was also expending into video games and beyond. This means that it was generating loads of money that the actors wanted a piece of.
The initial salary of the cast was not quite as high, but making their way to the $30,000 mark is still impressive. Nevertheless, the cast would hit the negotiating table back in 1998 in an attempt to get some more money per episode of the show. The Age reports that the cast was nearly replaced during this time, but eventually, the two sides would reach an agreement.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the initial pay raise back in 1998 would bump their salary to the $50,000 mark, and this would work for some time. However, in 2001, it was time to negotiate once again, only this time, the cast would finally reach the coveted six-figure mark.
The Finally Make 6 Figures
After getting their pay to $50,000 per episode, the cast of The Simpsons was back at the table once again, and with the support of creator Matt Groenig, the cast was able to finally hit the $100,000 threshold. Interestingly, this new deal also provided a steady increase in salary for the next few seasons of the show that the cast would work on.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The six principal voice actors agree to $100,000 an episode for the 13th and 14th seasons, rising to $125,000 an episode for the 15th. Each also gets a $1 million bonus in lieu of future syndication payments.”
Three years later, once their deal had expired, the cast once again went on strike to demand more pay from the network. This time, they managed to get a raise between the $250,000 and $360,000 mark. In response to this, Fox shortened that season by one episode, saving a nice chunk of change in the process.
Think that this was the last time that the cast negotiated higher pay? Think again.
They Made As Much As $440,000 Per Episode
The Simpsons have been an unprecedented success with a longevity that has yet to be rivaled, and the cast has always been willing to stand their ground for their pay. Back in 2008, they once again entered contact negotiations to make the most of their time on the show.
After demanding a whopping $500,000 per episode, an agreement was reached that saw the performers make as much as $440,000 episode, per The Hollywood Reporter. This was a far cry from what they were able to get a decade prior with $50,000, and it showed that the network was still making bank on the property.
In recent years, however, things have not been as financially feasible for the studio, and as far back as 2011, they determined that to keep the show going, they would need the cast to take a decrease in salary. While this was not ideal, it was a better solution than losing out on the job completely. So, the cast was willing to lighten their pockets and only make around $300,000 per episode. Not ideal, but it kept the show running, effectively making them tons of cash regardless.
It has been a long journey for the show and the lead performers, and it’s incredible to see how they have taken their salary to incredible heights.