TV Guide Reveals TV's Highest Paid Stars: The Soap Opera Edition – Soap Opera Network

In its newest issue, TV Guide Magazine has revealed some of televisions highest paid stars. As you can imagine, the list comprises of former daytime soap stars who’ve either gone on to host their own talk show or headline a top ranked primetime series, or in the case of primetime soap stars – gotten richer!
Kelly Ripa tops the list of stars with a soap opera connection as the host of the daytime talk show “Live with Kelly.” According to TV Guide, the former “All My Children” star rakes in an estimated salary of $20 million per year. Meanwhile, Michael Weatherly went from “Loving” in the 1990’s to “NCIS” agent for a cool $175,000 per episode. Mark Harmon, Weatherly’s co-star on “NCIS,” generates an estimated $500,000 per episode and is the highest paid actor (scripted). The magazine, however, does not make note as to whether that amount includes his executive producer credit or if it is based solely on appearance alone. Harmon starred in the short lived 1980’s primetime soap “Flamingo Road,” which preceded his ground breaking role in “St. Elsewhere.”
“Guiding Light” turned “White Collar” star Matt Bomer makes an estimated $110,000 per episode of his uber popular USA Network series. Also hailing from “Guiding Light” is Hayden Panettierre, who will take in an estimated $75,000 an episode for her starring role in the upcoming new series “Nashville.” The show stars Connie Britton as a fading country star, but Britton will take in $100,000 per episode for her efforts.
The stars of “Grey’s Anatomy” recently renegotiated new deals to continue on the series for another two seasons. With the shows ninth season debuting in September, stars Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh and Ellen Pompeo will now make an estimated $350,000 an episode.
Although he hasn’t appeared on a soap for some time, Alec Baldwin gained notoriety in the 1980’s after starring in the daytime soap “The Doctors” and the primetime soap opera “Knot’s Landing.” Now starring in “30 Rock,” Baldwin commands an estimated $300,000 per episode. “30 Rock” is expected to complete its seventh and final season with just 13 episodes beginning October 4. Mariska Hargitay, who recurred on primetime soap “Falcon Crest” in 1988, is the highest paid actress (scripted) taking in $385,000 per episode for her work on “Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit.”
What follows is the complete list of salaries of stars with soap opera connections:
For a complete list of stars and their salaries, pick up your copy of TV Guide today or head on over to the magazine’s website.
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