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EXCLUSIVE: Just in times for the holidays, The Big Bang Theory co-star Kunal Nayyar has reached a new salary agreement with the series producer Warner Bros. TV, meaning that all five principal cast members of the hit CBS comedy series have now received substantial raises. I hear Nayyar will be paid around $75,000 an episode, up from about $25,000 he has been getting under his current deal. Nayyar was the least known of the quintet when Big Bang launched and thus started off lower than the others, who were most recently at about $40,000 (Simon Helberg) and about $60,000 (stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco). There had been talk that, just like Galecki, Parsons and Cuoco did, supporting players Nayyar and Helberg might get “favored nations” deals with equal financial terms. But that notion was put into doubt when only Helberg closed his deal a month ago to go up to over $100,000 an episode. Galecki, Cuoco and Parsons’ renegotiations were completed at the same time in September, netting each an equal raise to $200,000 per episode this season, with $50,000 annual increases for the next 3 seasons. Nayyar and Helberg’s deals also include built-in annual raises and Nayyar’s pact may also include a bonus that would bring him closer to Helberg in overall compensation.
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Sad…because who is this kid??? what are his credits??? Not important to the show except that he simply honors the networks need for “diversity”. His skin was any other color,he wouldn’t have a job. Where’s the talent??>?
Jealous and racist much?
The fact is this guy is a bad actor! It was apparent since the very first episode. I hoped he would get better over time but he didn’t. He just can’t act. (Not that the other cast members can, but they still do much better job than Kunal.)
How is it racist to ask for credits and talent? It’s quite the opposite I think. And how is it not racist to cast an actor primarily because of his ethnicity and regardless of his acting qualities?
I don’t mind the writers want a diverse group of characters. I don’t mind he’s Indian. I very much mind that he sucks as an actor.
a bad actor are you kidding me. he is probably one of the most underestimated actor character on the show. the one thing that really adds to the shows success is his innocence and selective mutism.
and where are his credits. do you know how old he is. he was a child actor like galeki or kaley cuoco. he came to the US to attend college and only switched to an acting career here. having been raised in india. and he got this big role in three years. not even top actors got this kind of role this fast. it took david schwimmer a long time to get the ross role.
so dont call him a bad actor.
Yea by the way who the hell are you…..Kunal is an actor, doesnt matter whats his skin colour. The kid loves acting and with no doubt i can say that he is doin it the best way he can.
And by the way where the hell is your talent all your doin is complaining, just try to respect and appreciate the differences. No one is perfect buddy, Well i think Kunal and Simon should get the same salary and they should try to give them A lot more time on Air.
KUnal is as important as others in the series.
I agree 100%! The show wouldn’t be the same without any of the main characters… including Raj. He’s great, and I think they all should be making the same amount of money, regardless of “who was the most well known” before the show…
The talent may not been seen or understood by you, but it sure has with over a billion people in the sub-continent, three times the American market!!!
I always say, if you can do better, be my guest, GO OUT THERE AND DO IT! Kunal is a very talented actor.
Keep talking about your diversity and your this and that. Hollywood reinforces stereotypes and treats minority groups like crap, yet rails against injustices of Republicans.
Love this guy….gotta drunk at his house one time…good for him
Maybe getting drunk to watch him would make him funny.
Good for him. Now if they’d just get rid of Mayim Bialik, whose character is making the show painful to watch.
seriously? I have been LOVING the addition of her character.
Yeah, I agree with Flint. She is god awful.
Great! More money being wasted on the most UNFUNNY show on television. Excuse me while I go get more laughs from watching my cat sleep.
Did it feel good to type that? Happy holidays, you need a hug.
Is that you, Dickmeister General?
The Big Bang Theory is a good psychological study of different types of personalities. I work in the Mental Health Field. Each character in this show, is acted in such a natural way, and each is important to the plot of the show. I also think this is a cleverly written show. After talking to several people, I have realized that some people think it is silly and some people think it is very funny. Personally, I think it is very, very funny. For those who complain about it, then perhaps they would be happier not watching it. There are plenty of silly tv programs they can watch instead. I think that you have to watch quite a few of the programs, to learn about each character’s personality. Just watching it once or twice, will not help you to understand why they act the way that they do. It is now one of the top watched tv programs, according to the magazine TV Guide.
I think Big Bang Theory should pay all it’s 5 leads equal amounts. They all put in the same amount of work each episode and no one (even Jim Parsons) is better than the entire ensemble.
I agree, they are an ensemble cast…pay should be the same. Maybe they should take a lesson from the Friends cast and stick together for the advantage of all….my God those people would never have to work another day in their live because they all took the high road and worked together as a team…
Racist Hollywood strikes again. There is no reason why he shouldnt be making 100,000 an episode like Helberg. If he were white, he’d get it. Lame, just lame.
If he were *funny*, he’d get it. Lefties sure dwell on skin color a lot; reminds me of the old southern democRat governors with the fire hoses.
Righties sure try to pass the racist buck a lot. It’s 2010 and the CONSERVATIVE Citizens of America want to boycott the Thor movie because a black actor is playing the Norse god Heimdall. Nooo, right-wing, tea-bagging assholes aren’t racist.
This guy doesn’t even deserve to be on the show. Not because of the color of his skin. Because of his crappy acting.
VERY VERY TRUE!
@ Smartestonehere: Let me guess, your favorite show must be that intellectually comedic 30 Rock, or The Office? You call yourself smart yet you use the word UNFUNNY? Really?
TBBT is one of the most hilarious shows on TV. You seem to have a very low iq, indicating that you probably on like watching comedy where you don’t have to think much. TBBT has one of the greatest comedians of all time i.e Jim Parsons (Sheldon).
I’m glad they are getting paid more, they are doing well this season, although they need to give Raj a good story, get him to talk to girls already!
I was following following with agreement at the beginning, then you said TBBT is “one of the most hilarious shows on TV”. It’s a mostly enjoyable CBS multi-cam, but its definitely no Community, Parks and Recreation or It’s Always Sunny.
I think it’s great that the cast is getting a bump. They all contribute something vital to the show and I can’t imagine it being as good if any of them were to leave.
@ MIKE D
It’s NOT racist Hollywood. If anything, Hollywood is OBSESSED with Indian people right now. The show couldn’t go on without Helberg, but if somehow Kunal left, Big Bang would still manage to be on the air. Why is everyone always so eager to play the race card? Once in a while, the priority can be talent and character significance.
Nayyar seems to be the weak link on the show (not a bad thing, in this case), whereas, Helberg is arguably the 2nd biggest draw and is therefore underpaid compared to all the others (assuming Nayyar is getting the same amount, and that Helberg really is making only half as much as the “top 3″). WTF?!?
i totally disagree, i think kunals timing and deadpan delivery at times is brilliant whereas i just find helberg seriously irritating. his character is crap compared to the others, even that stupid walk of his irritates the crap out of me. i love the show but his character is way weak. you talk about the race card but think about it, when was the last time any show was aired without a jewish character? oh yeah i forgot hollywood is owned an run by jews isnt it. idiot!!!!
Will they ever get around to develop this character? Send him to therapy for his problem!
@ brown man. That was a result of the overrated Slumdog. Just like the success of Mamma Mia! brought about a resurgence of the musical genre (film and TV).
Oh my god how could he live on only $550,000 a year or 25 weeks.
I’d be interested to know what the actors think about knowing each others salaries. Does it bug any of them to be seemingly doing an equal amount of work yet receiving double or half the salary of another cast member.
But they aren’t doing “equal work.” For one, Kunal has the fewest lines of any of the main players and the fewest minutes on screen. His role is like a staple between two sheets of paper, he holds them together, but players like Parsons and Helberg are the sheets of paper. Some characters are more integral to the show than others and it is more important to keep them happy than the others. I like Kunal and his character, but let’s be realistic, if Jim Parsons up and left, there would be a gaping hole in the cast. Honestly, I think the show could recover from losing Kunal and Kaley more than any of the other three. I think they are both great, but someone could be plugged into those slots and the show could go on, albeit in a slightly different way.
Yea, if anything – this guy & Simon Helberg can actually tell a joke and they have timing – they are invaluable to the show. Galecki is a fine actor and a good straight man but doesn’t bring much to “comedy.” Cuoco is fine – she has amazing TV breasts – lot of breast, no nipples – perfect for TV … and while Parsons is fine, I don’t get the raves – it seems any pale really thin guy could play his part. His acting consists mostly of tics and being able to spout techno-sci-math jargon quickly – nice but hardly earth shattering. Big bang is a fine show and they all deserve raises but it’s more of a likeable cast, weak sitcoms on air than actual greatness … like HIMYM – top notch FRIENDS like casting but scripts that make ACCORDING TO JIM look like Emmy award winning material. HIMYM might be the best casting with the worst scripts ever. After 8 years on the air (or so it seems), can anyone tell you an actual “funny” episode?
As much as I enjoy the Sheldon Cooper character, I’m not sure how much of it is acting. If you have seen Jim Parsons on the talk show circuit, he seems to speak in a manner very similar to his character. Even some mannerisms are identical (although, in fairness to Parsons, he does not come across as neurotic as Sheldon). Contrast this with say, Hugh Laurie. It’s like two different people.
totally agree with that. i tried to watch that once. that has got to be the most over-rated show on TV anywhere. never mind a funny episode i dont think theres a funny line in the entire run of that show. garbage!!!
What a waste. Better to fire this guy and give the money to charity.
He should have gotten a salary decrease, and then out the door. I don’t recall him ever being funny on that show.
dats because yous bees racists. Color blind is da way to go sista.
For so many reasons having nothing to do with him…LOL…love that he got an increase!! Carma is a bitch (fill in name of appropriate morons…).
As a fellow Indian man, it sucks that Kunal is not making as much as the others, but in all fairness, the rest of the cast has been working in American TV just a bit longer (especially Jimmy and Kaley). Plus, the writers’ device of only allowing Koothrappali to speak around women (namely Penny) while drinking is a contrivance that prohibits a range of character interactions.
I think if they can “cure” him, maybe they can grow the character further. Not his fault. He’s doing the best with what has been given to him. As a result, he has less screen time and lines in general. I suspect that even if he were given equal screen time he’d get paid less. BTW, he’s also a writer, so stay tuned to see what he does on his own in the near future.
I watch the show for the ensemble cast, but mostly Koothrapali, Sheldon, and Penny, as they’re the funniest…Howard’s girlfriend has good comedic timing as well. I understand why his initial salary may have been less, but Nayyar has definitely proven himself, doing a fantastic job with what he’s given and consistently delivering the laughs. He and Helberg shouldn’t be making so much less than the other three, and Nayyar certainly shouldn’t be making less than Helberg, period.
very well said, those three are the funniest. leonard is a good straight guy but they could definately get rid of helberg hes just irritating IMO.
Nayyar is my favorite, after parsons. He’s the best looking and I wish he had more air time.I like him and Sheldon on screen and they should find him a girlfriend and let him talk. I also like penny, the other two I never got used to, but they are funny. Good show!
Kunal Nayar can only be as funny as the script allow him to be!
I think that when they give him lines, he actually do it verry well.
Anyway I think that he is verry down to earth (I saw an interview with him) maybe thats why he haven´t been able to get a good deal.
And yeah…racist holywood!
Racist Hollywood. Period. The show is great because all its actors make a great job with a very funny script, and the Raj-Howard routines are every bit as funny as the Penny-Sheldon ones.
Still dream they could have done the “Friends move” last year.
They could pay him a million dollars an ep and I still would not watch because the show was lame to start with and is even lamer now. It’s disgusting what actors make when people like cops, fire fighters and teachers can hardly get by on their salaries. I’m not saying actors don’t work hard (in some cases), just that they make way too much money.
I <3 Kunal. I think he is great and brings a lot to the show.