Did Zendaya make history again?
According to Puck News, the 26-year-old “Euphoria” star has negotiated a new deal with HBO that will make her one of the highest-paid TV actresses in Hollywood, and possibly the youngest to reach such an agreement.
The Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actress, 26, will now earn nearly $1 million per episode for her passionate portrayal of the series’ central character, Rue Bennett – a tortured high school student struggling with substance abuse i. after her father’s death.
“Euphoria” is one of the most enduring shows of the past few years. Some love it, others hate it, but everyone agrees that Zendaya gives a performance worth celebrating. The gritty high-school drama that was castwas very popular, and although Zendaya (an alum of the Disney channel) was no stranger to the spotlight, it was “Euphoria” that dropped the veil on her range and acting chops drama.
In 2020, Zendaya won the Emmy Awards at the age of 24, becoming the youngest actress to take home the trophy for best lead actress in a drama. And in 2022, she made history again when she became the only Black woman to win two Emmy Awards for best lead actress in a drama.
“My biggest wish for Euphoria was that it could help people heal,” Zendaya said as she accepted her second Emmys trophy in 2022. “I want to thank everyone who shared their story with me. I want you to know that there is anyone who loves Rue or feels like they are Rue, I want you to know that I am so grateful for your stories, and I take them, and I take I have them.”
Along with winning lead actress, Zendaya was nominated for outstanding drama series as a producer for “Euphoria,” although “Succession” took home the award. If she were to win, she would be the youngest executive producer to do so.
With $1 million per episode, Zendaya will be sitting pretty compared to her “Euphoria” co-star Sydney Sweeney, who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter last year about the actress’ financial woes. “If I wanted to take a six-month break, I have no income to cover that,” she said. “I don’t have someone to support me, I don’t have anyone I can turn to, to pay my bills or call for help.
“They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you don’t get residuals anymore,” Sweeney added. “The established stars are still getting paid, but I have to give 5 percent to my lawyer, 10 percent to my agents, 3 percent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month, and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Zendaya now joins the ranks of other $1-million milestone members, including the main cast of “Friends” in its final season, the main cast of “Game of Thrones,” Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon for “Big Little Lies” and Elisabeth Moss on “Shining Girls,” Apple to name a few.
According to a Deadline report in 2021, Angela Bassett set the record for the highest-earning Black female actress on network television, earning $450,000 per episode of “9-1-1.” Kerry Washington earned more than a million per episode for starring and co-producing with Witherspoon in “Little Fires Everywhere.”
She may be the youngest Black actress on television to reach the $1 million mark.
A representative for Zendaya did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday.