How Much Do The Stars Of Shadow And Bones Get Paid Per Episode?

The new Netflix series "Shadow and Bone" has been sitting in the streaming service's No. 1 most popular TV series spot since its debut on April 23, proving Netflix has another hit in its collection of TV and film, according to What's On Netflix. Based on a series of popular sci-fi and fantasy novels by Leigh Bardugo, the show follows Alina Starkov (played by Jessie Mei Li), a teenage orphan who grows up in the war-ravaged lands of Ravka, only to discover she possesses magical powers that could save her people from dark magical forces.

While the show is mostly made up of up-and-coming actors you probably aren't yet familiar with, it also has some notable cast members, including Ben Barnes from "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" and "Westworld" and Zoë Wanamaker of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Though no official announcement has been made about a 2nd season renewal, it's almost guaranteed the cast will receive a higher paycheck when and if it is renewed, due to the show's popularity. So, how much did the cast get paid for Season 1?

Netflix is notorious for not releasing ratings or salary details for its projects, but a sample contract from 2019 listed on the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists website shows that Netflix pays its TV series actors between $20,000 and $40,000 per episode. However, TVWeb shared the results of a survey in which actors were asked about their salaries, and it seems more established performers or those on popular TV shows earned more than their lesser-known counterparts. For example, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel earned $750,000 per episode for their "Gilmore Girls" revival. 

Thanks to their long list of credits, "Shadow and Bone" stars Ben Barnes and Zoë Wanamaker likely netted a higher pay than their younger co-stars, but actors such as Jessie Mei Li (Alina), Freddy Carter (Kaz), and Archie Reneaux (Mal) likely took home $20,000 to $40,000 per episode. Now that "Shadow and Bone" has established itself on the streaming service as a hit, each of its cast members are certain to achieve higher salaries on future episodes. It's only a matter of time before fans of the show get an announcement about Season 2.