“Do you know what they pay us?” » Davidson said. “It’s about $3,000 per episode. I had dinner.
At first it seemed like a lot of money. But when I thought about how many hours of rehearsal time goes into each episode, per week, I realized it’s not that high (at least in Hollywood terms).
Other SNL alumni shared details about what they bought after their first paycheck. Some actors (like Julia Louis-Dreyfus) opted for fashion-related purchases. “I bought a pair of shoes that didn’t fit my budget,” she said. “I’ll tell you, they were $75.”
Other stars (like Cheri Oteri) have purchased furniture for their expensive New York apartments. “A couch. I had it reupholstered three or four times,” she added. “I remember a designer coming in in tears and saying, ‘OK, these arms are too high. We’re going to get rid of this couch. I said, “Oh, no. No, that’s not the case. Not today, Satan. No, the sofa remains. You go.’
Even Jason Sudeikis confirmed that his SNL the salary barely covered monthly expenses. “I mean, you don’t make enough money to make big purchases,” he joked. “So I think rent in New York was probably the biggest purchase I made after writing my first year on SNL.”