“Grey’s Anatomy” has built out a niche with viewers as the go-to prescription for routine doses of emotionally compelling medical drama over the course of 19 eventful seasons. The series consistently draws in significant ratings for home network ABC while focusing on the hard occupations and intense personal lives of its core ensemble of medical professionals at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (via Rotten Tomatoes). The longest-running medical drama in television history is supported by fan favourites like Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey, Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber, Sandra Oh as former doctor Cristina Yang, and a cast of additional doctors, nurses, and interns (per The Hollywood Reporter).
We can be sure that the entire cast is fairly compensated for their time because the show is such a long-running, prominent network hit, with the longest-running performers receiving salaries that are sure to make anyone’s heart race. In light of this, what sort of numbers are we referring to when discussing the real-world salary given to the fictional medical professionals on the enduringly popular TV show “Grey’s Anatomy”?
The pay stubs for the Grey’s Anatomy cast are quite healthy
The highest-paid actors on “Grey’s Anatomy” earn equally eye-opening sums without having to worry about the bothersome costs of med school, unlike real doctors, surgeons, and other high-level medical professionals, who earn annual salaries ranging from the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
Ellen Pompeo, a member of the original cast and a super physician, earns $550,000 per year, according to Forbes. Impressive, right? That is, however, per episode, not per year. Continue to worry that the celebrity won’t have just enough money to get by? She reportedly makes $575,000 for cleaning up in each episode, according to a piece in The Hollywood Reporter. The same story also states Pompeo receives a pay envelope with an additional six to seven million dollars inside each year as part of her additional contractual bonuses. But wait, there’s more.
Former cast member Sandra Oh, who played Dr. Yang, was also among the highest-paid actors on the show, earning a comfortable $350,000 per episode for her role. James Pickens, Jr. and Chandra Wilson, two current stars, each earn $125,000 every episode (via Skycaster). But Patrick Dempsey, a previous series regular, is also vying for high pay per episode. Before leaving the franchise in Season 11, he earned a handsome $400,000 per episode while as Dr. Derek Shepherd on the show. The longest-running actor on “Grey’s Anatomy,” Kevin McKidd, must apparently make do with a still-not-bad $83,000 per episode while portraying Dr. Hunt (per TheRichest.com).
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