How much would you get paid being actor in Hollywood?

Answer 1

Depends on the level of success you achieve.

Celebrities make much more money than actors who are not famous.

There are also background actors, often called "extras" and they are paid much less.

It also depends on the budget of the film or work.

There are student films, by students at film schools and those cast volunteer actors most of the time. Sometimes, if there is a budget, at all, on a student or low-budget film, actors may get a few dollars, and/or copy of the completed project.

Then, there are the unions. Once you become eligible to join SAG (Screen Actors Guild), you must do only union work. Which means you will be paid union wage. This also varies, and mostly affects the day players, extras and non-famous actors. Celebrities are a different level and have far different pay rates than the rest of the actors.

If you are eligible for SAG [three SAG vouchers as a non-union extra or a Taft-Hartley voucher], and have the fee -- currently about $2,500 to join -- you can join. Nevertheless, many young actors make the mistake of joining too soon, believing it will get them more work. Without the non-union experience, this stops a young actors career from progressing, as they have not taken advantage of being non-union. As a non-union actor, one can do lots of on the job training with student films and low-budget non-union work.

Once a member of the union, the actor can no longer take non-union work and gain the needed experience. Since there are thousands of union actors -- already experienced -- new members just joining (with little non-union experience) find it difficult to get a foot into union productions.