SA soap actors salaries revealed
When the cast of South Africa’s most popular soapie, Generations, went on a strike a few weeks ago, they gripped the nation and have sparked debates about the labour rights of our entertainment work force.
The 16 actors that were sacked from the show complained that they earned peanuts, and maybe they do, but this has sparked all sorts of talk about what is a fair salary for local actors in his country.
City Press reported some of the highest paid actors in the country and according to the article, they earn well above industry rates.
The SA Guild of Actors’ suggested minimum monthly rate guideline for 2013/14 is:
– R20 000 for a junior actor – Generations pays an average of R40 000;
– R25 000 for an intermediate actor – Generations pays an average of R55 000; and
– R35 000 for an experienced actor – Generations pays an average of R80 000.
These rates, the guild said, were agreed on for a 12-hour day and a 60-hour week. MMSV Productions, which produces Generations, gave its figures as average salaries in each tier.
According to TV Guide’s list for 2014, the highest-paid TV actors in the world are:
- Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki in The Big Bang Theory – $1m (R10.7m) per episode;
- Mark Harmon in NCIS – $525 000;
- Kevin Spacey in House of Cards – $500 000; and
– Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: SVU – $400 000.
When we turn the lens onto our local soapie actors, even though Khanyisile Mbau recently bragged on Nicky Greenwall’s show, The Close Up, that she was offered R80 000 on Muvhango when she started out, it’s hard to believe whether there’s actual truth in this figure.
According to Drum Magazine, the highest paid actors in this country aren’t even in generations, they’re on etv’s Scandal! and Rhythm City.
The magazine which reported figures based on three independent sources, said that Sello Maake Ka Ncube, Jamie Bartlett and Moshidi Motshegwa were the highest paid actors in South Africa, taking home a pay cheque of between R100 000 and R120 000 per month.
The magazine reported that the reason for this was because the three actors were contracted to production companies that paid their actors well.
But when one looks at ratings, Generations stands on top with 7,2 million viewers, while Scandal! has 3,2 million and Rhythm City 2,5 million.
Maake Ka Ncube told Drum that he had earned his way after leaving Generations and said: "I fought alone, no actor supported me; I was on my own. People must fight their own battles and leave me alone."
This what the rest of the local actors who are on our TV screens earn according to the South African Guild of Actors:
A newcomer on 7de Laan – R22,000 a month
A newcomer on Isibaya – R26,000 a month
An intermediate actor on Binnelanders – R27,500 a month
An intermediate actor on Isidingo – R28,000 a month
An intermediate actor on Generations – R40,000 a month
An experienced actor in a support role on Isibaya – R30,000 a month
An experienced actor on Isidingo – R40,000 a month
An experienced actor on Generations – R60,000 a month
