Netflix star reveals shocking paycheck they got after starring in Stranger Things
We've all heard about those massive paychecks the likes of Robert Downey Jr. get for returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or what about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson being the world's highest-paid actor for the fifth time when he took the title in 2024? Nicole Kidman was the highest-paid female actor last year, but with just $31 million compared to Johnson's $88 million, it shows a serious gender divide.
As one of the biggest shows in the world, you might be wondering what the cast of Netflix's Stranger Things gets paid. The Duffer Brothers' hit series is coming back for season 5 in 2025, and while Millie Bobby Brown is tipped to receive an impressive salary bump as part of an overall Netflix deal to reprise her role as Eleven in the final run of episodes, Winona Ryder and David Harbour are poised to get $9 million each. Going down the list of the record-breaking sci-fi series, the likes of Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, and the core group will get $7 million, while Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer, and others could get $6 million.
These are all impressive pay packets, but now, actor Tristan Spohn has revealed what some of the more minor additions to the cast could be expected to earn.
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Spohn made his debut in season 4 as the antagonistic Two, and while the oldest of the 14 test subjects only appeared in five episodes, he was apparently paid handsomely.
Taking to YouTube, Spohn broke down his Stranger Things earnings, explaining how he submitted his audition tape from Texas. Due to Stranger Things being filmed in Atlanta, Netflix paid to fly Spohn out there, stumped up for a personal driver, and paid for his hotel. It would've cost Netflix $8,261 just to get him there and house him for the six-week shoot.
Expanding on the surprise bonus payments you get for appearing in Stranger Things, Spohn said he was paid $150 an hour for travel time and $60 a day for food, even though you get free meals while on the set.
Another unexpected bonus was the fact that the star got paid an additional $3,944 for his flashback scenes after Two (spoilers) was killed off. In terms of residuals, Spohn has already earned a tasty $12,666 over the past three years.
After being paid $2,287 for a reshoot and $4,700 for overtime, he reveals his base pay was $30,000 for his five-episode stint. In total, Netflix paid $66,923 just to have Spohn in the series, but there are obvious outgoings. Costs to Spohn include taxes ($15,639) and agency fees ($4,4300), bringing his grand total of Stranger Things pay to $38,593.
While Two was one of the bigger parts, he concluded that most of Dr. Brenner's test subjects would've been paid the same amount. Still, as Two was a larger part, there's a chance flashback footage of him could be featured, meaning Spohn could be in for a few more dollars before the show's final credits roll.