How Much The Big Bang Theory Cast Makes From Reruns

It is a truth universally acknowledged in the entertainment industry that if your TV show ends up in syndication — meaning that it gets broadcast on other networks in perpetuity — you make a lot of money. So, what do the stars of “The Big Bang Theory” (specifically, Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik) make based on their reruns in syndication?

I’ll be blunt: nobody from the main cast of “The Big Bang Theory” has come out and revealed exactly how much money hits their bank account every single time an episode of “The Big Bang Theory” airs on TBS. That’s understandable. We can make some educated guesses, though. According to Metro UK, Parsons, Galecki, and Cuoco own one percent shares of the show; as the outlet points out, if the series makes one billion dollars a year, that’s an extra $10 million for the lead actors, which is certainly nothing to sneeze that. Then there’s the deal the series inked with HBO to make its streaming service, Max, the exclusive home of “The Big Bang Theory,” which sources said in 2019 was worth billions of dollars but ended up being worth $600 million, which is … not nothing.

So, what about anyone who’s not Parsons, Galecki, or Cuoco? That’s trickier. We know that the main cast members on “The Big Bang Theory” took pay cuts to ensure that Rauch and Bialik were offered fair deals to continue as series regulars, and years before that, Helberg and Nayyar did something similar. It’s safe to say that, based on just how often “The Big Bang Theory” airs in syndication, they’re all being paid pretty well. (No, seriously; it’s probably airing on TBS right now.) But what about streaming?

The rise of streaming services — like Max, which is probably where a lot of fans, old and new, watch “The Big Bang Theory” — has definitely complicated the issue of residual checks. Indeed, during the joint WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that brought the industry to a (much-needed) standstill in 2023, this was one of the biggest issues raised by the two guilds. A genuinely shocking number of well-known actors revealed that they’re making pennies on the dollar for streaming residuals, including Kevin Sussman, who nearly played Howard Wolowitz (the role that ultimately went to Simon Helberg) before being cast as Stuart Bloom on “The Big Bang Theory.”

“For me the big issue is residuals for streaming,” Sussman told Deadline during the strike. “I’ve known that it’s been untenable for years. I was surprised that it took this long for there to be a strike like this. I’ve seen residuals for my own shows absolutely tank once they go to streaming. I’m lucky because I was on ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ which was on a broadcast network for years. Since it moved to streaming [like Max and Amazon Prime], it’s night and day. I don’t see how it’s possible for an upcoming actor these days to actually be able to make a living.”

Sussman is set to return for the upcoming Max spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory,” a project which could very well be hit with the same residual issues as streaming … but luckily, shows that aired in primetime on networks are still in syndication. It feels strange to even mention this now, but “The Big Bang Theory” is currently streaming on Max. Again, though, it’s also probably on TBS if you still have cable.