Police say Jussie Smollett was unhappy with his salary on 'Empire' — here's how it stacks up against some of TV's biggest stars

FILE - In this May 20, 2016 file photo, actor and singer Jussie Smollett attends the "Empire" FYC Event in Los Angeles. Chicago police said Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, they're still seeking a follow-up interview with Smollett after receiving new information that "shifted" their investigation of a reported attack on the "Empire" actor. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this May 20, 2016 file photo, actor and singer Jussie Smollett attends the "Empire" FYC Event in Los Angeles. Chicago police said Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, they're still seeking a follow-up interview with Smollett after receiving new information that "shifted" their investigation of a reported attack on the "Empire" actor. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Associated Press
  • "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, after turning himself in to police on Thursday, was charged with making a false police report of a racist and homophobic assault last month.
  • Chicago police said Smollett staged the attack as a publicity stunt and that he was unhappy with his "Empire" salary.
  • He made $65,000 an episode, a "well-placed source" told a HuffPost reporter. But The Hollywood Reporter reported on Thursday that he was recently making as much as $125,000 an episode.
  • How does that stack up against some of the highest-paid actors on television?

The "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett turned himself in to police on Thursday and was charged with making a false police report.

Smollett said he was the victim of a racist and homophobic assault last month. But Chicago police said he staged the act as a publicity stunt because he was unhappy with his "Empire" salary.

Smollett made $65,000 per episode for the Fox show, according to HuffPost reporter Yashar Ali, who cited a "well-placed source." But The Hollywood Reporter reported on Thursday, citing anonymous sources, that he was recently making as much as $125,000 an episode. Sources described it to THR as "three tiers of cast salaries," and that stars Terence Howard and Taraji P. Henson started out earning between $110,000 and $120,000 per episode, but were elevated to the $225,000-$250,000 range in 2016.

"Empire" has 18 episodes each season. A Fox representative declined to comment on Smollett's compensation.

"Empire" is on its fifth season, and Smollett has been a member of the cast since the show's beginning. How does his reported salary stack up against some of the highest-paid actors in television?

Norman Reedus is making $1 million an episode for "The Walking Dead" after his costar Andrew Lincoln departed the show, according toVariety. The stars of HBO's "Westworld" are getting big raises ahead of the sci-fi drama's third season, The Hollywood Reporter reported in October.

And Jim Parsons of CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" made headlines last summer for walking away from areportedtwo-year, $50 million paycheck for two more seasons of the sitcom, which CBS subsequently decided to end this year.

Below are some of TV's highest-paid actors and how much they make per episode:

$1 million – Norman Reedus, "The Walking Dead" (AMC)

"The Walking Dead"/AMC

Source:Variety(2018)

$1 million — Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu)

Hulu

Source:Variety(2018)

$1 million — Nicole Kidman, "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

HBO's "Big Little Lies."
HBO

Source:The Hollywood Reporter(2018)

$1 million — Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)

CBS

Source:Variety(2016)

$600,000 — Julia Roberts, "Homecoming" (Amazon)

Amazon

Source:Variety(2018)

$575,000 — Ellen Pompeo, "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)

ABC

$500,000 — Sean Penn, "The First" (Hulu)

Hulu

$500,000 — Kit Harington, "Game of Thrones" (HBO)

HBO

Source:Variety(2017)

$375,000 — John Goodman, "The Conners" (ABC)

ABC

Source:Variety(2018)

$350,000 — Millie Bobby Brown, "Stranger Things" (Netflix)

Netflix

Source:Variety(2018)

$250,000 — Evan Rachel Wood, "Westworld" (HBO)

HBO

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