'The Big Bang Theory' stars lead highest-paid TV actors list
Topping the list is Jim Parsons who earned $26.5 million before taxes from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018.
Forbes' annual list of the highest-paid television actors in the world is finally here. And, the list consists of actors from four shows alone - 'The Big Bang Theory', 'Modern Family', 'NCIS' and 'The Walking Dead'. As 'The Big Bang Theory' enters its 12th and final season, its stars are making millions, so, it doesn't come as a shock that four of the top five highest-paid actors are from the show. Standing first on the list is Jim Parsons who earned $26.5 million before taxes from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Parsons has claimed the top spot on the list. According to Forbes, this list is based on figures from IMDb, Box Office Mojo, Nielsen, and interviews with industry insiders. Following Parsons on the list, not far behind, is Johnny Galecki who earned the No. 2 spot, pocketing $25 million. The third and fourth spots were taken by their co-stars Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg, who pocketed $23.5 million each.
It was revealed all four of the top-five highest-paid actors saw a dip in their paychecks from last year, after the cast decided to take a cut from their estimated $1 million an episode to $900,000 an episode so that Mayim Bialik's and Melissa Rauch's paychecks would increase.
Following the top four, Global’s 'NCIS' star Mark Harmon took the fifth spot earning $19 million. The 6 to 9 spots were followed by the stars of 'Modern Family', Ed O’Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell with 'The Walking Dead' actor Andrew Lincoln finishing at No. 10 with $11 million. Adding all the top ten highest-paid TV actors' paychecks comes to a total of $181 million between June 1, 2017, and June 1, 2018, a dip from the $185 million that was received last year.
