The Top 10 Highest Paid TV Actresses

 

We watch them every week and our week never seems to be complete without them. Who are they? Our favorite TV actors and actresses of course! Just who were the actresses most in demand and how much did they make last year?

10. Teri Hatcher

After her breakout role as Lois Lane in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Teri Hatcher joined the crew of Desperate Housewives where she earned $375,000 per episode.The rest, as they say, is history. Actually it was not history for Hatcher who still has projects lined up. She has starred in four episodes of the ABC Family Series Jane By Design and has also wrapped up filming a comedy called I Brake for Gringos. She is also one of the voice in the upcoming Disney movie Planes. How much did she make last year? $8 million.

9. Kate Walsh

Kate Walsh’s first taste of stardom was voicing for a video game called Club Dead. She was later able to work bit roles in TV shows like Swift Justice and Law and Order before finally becoming a regular on Norm. However, the role she might be most famous for playing is as Dr. Addison Montgomery in Grey’s Anatomy and its spin-off Private Practice where she takes home $275,000 per episode. Walsh also has other projects lined up. She has already shot three episodes of a series called Full Circle and a movie called Hello I Must Be Going. She is also into cosmetics, she owns a company that sells perfume and made $2.5 million last year. Apart from that how much did she make last year? $8 million.

8. Felicity Huffman and Zooey Deschanel (tied)

Another actress from Desperate Housewives, Huffman‘s first big break was in 1991 when she joined mini-series The Golden Years as a regular. This was followed by a series of TV movies and bit roles in various TV shows until she joined Frasier as regular Julia Wilcox in 2003. Fans will remember her most for her role in Desperate Housewives as the perfectionist wife Lynette Scavo. She is also due to appear in the comedy Trust Me, the TV movie Boomerang and Rudderless in 2014. Away from TV, her endorsement ads include the “Got Milk?” campaign, she also speaks for Dole. Total earnings last year? $9 million. Also earning $9 million last year was actress Zooey Deschanel currently riding on the success of her FOX hit series New Girl. First appearing in the fashion comedy Veronica’s Closet in 1997, she later appeared in TV bit roles until landing roles in movies like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Failure to Launch and Bridge to Terabithia.
Deschanel also has standing endorsement deals with brands like Pantene, Apple and Rimmel London. She has also launched a website for women with two friends.

7. Mariska Hargitay

Before playing as detective Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Hargitay had already played as a regular in shows like Falcon Crest, Tequila and Bonetti, ER, Can’t Hurry Love and the original Law & Order TV series. While she has no pending TV projects in the future she does have her foundation, The Joyful Heart Foundation, which aids child victims of sexual abuse, to keep her busy. It’s not a famously known fact that she is the daughter of famous actress Jayne Mansfield who also started the foundation. Her total earnings last year? $10 million.

6. Tina Fey

Tina Fey has appeared as a regular in 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live, but her talents lie not just in acting but also writing. She was written sketches and scenes for various shows and wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls and has received various awards for her acting and writing. However, it was her role as Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live that brought her into the spotlight. She is set to appear in Anchorman: The Legend Continues, This is Where I Leave You and Muppets Most Wanted in 2014. How much did she make last year? $11 million

5. Khloe Kardashian Odom

Khloe Kardashian Odom has the distinction of being one of the highest paid TV actresses who has never actually played a role. This is true, since her first TV appearance in 2008 she has always played or guested as herself. Even when she appeared in non-reality TV shows she has played herself, this was in 90210 and Law & Order: LA. Khloe is now starring in Khloe and Lamar a reality TV show into her life with husband, Los Angeles Lakers player Lamar Odom. She also hosts a local radio station and has partnered with her sister Kourtney and Kim in designing a clothing line. How much did she make in 2012? $11 million.

4. Bethenny Frankel

Before Frankel became the TV personality/author/entrepreneur/natural foods cook that she has now acted in two movies; Wish Me Luck and Hollywood Hills 90028 in the 90’s. After success as an entrepreneur she returned to TV, appearing in The Apprentice: Martha Stewart where she placed second. She then appeared as a guest on several talkshows before landing her own talk show Bethenny and Bethenny Ever After. She also still appears on other shows, particularly the The Ellen DeGeneres Show and has played a bit role in the TV series The Neighbors. She took home $12 million last year.

3. Eva Longoria

The last star in this list from the TV series Desperate Housewives, Longoria first appeared in TV as a flight attendant in Beverly Hills 90210. The next big break was appearances in The Young and the Restless then the TV series Dragnet. She has also appeared in the movies Harsh Times and Over Her Dead Body. Her role as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives netted her $375,000 per episode. Aside from acting she has also done productions for Devious Maids, Ready For Love and a documentary called Food Chains. She made $15 million last year alone.

2. Kim Kardashian

While many know her as a reality TV star, they might not know she has acted in movies like Disaster Movie and Deep in the Valley and the TV series Drop Dead Diva. However, the role she may most likely be remembered a long time for is herself when she walked down the aisle in a four-hour TV special. That marriage ended in a divorce three weeks later, leading many to call it a publicity stunt from the start. There seems to be no end to the show though, the Kardashian’s have signed up with E! for another three seasons of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. As mentioned before Kim also has businesses with her sisters. Total earnings last year? $18 million.

1. Sofia Vergara

A veteran in the TV industry, Vergara first started out as a model in Colombia where she was also able to host a travel show. The shows brought her exposure to the U.S. where her first big acting break came in the Tim Allen/Rene Russo starrer Big Trouble. She went on to make appearances in Dirty Sexy Money and other shows before landing her role in Modern Family. She is also set to appear in Fading Gigolo and Chef and Heat in 2014. She also has endorsement deals with Cover Girl and Diet Pepsi in the U.S. and Burger King, Comcast and State Farm in her native Colombia. She also owns half of the management company Latin World Entertainment. Her total earnings last year? $19 million.