Summary
- Aaron Paul reveals that he receives no compensation from Netflix for Breaking Bad, despite the show’s huge popularity on the streaming platform.
- The Breaking Bad cast, including Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, urges Hollywood studios to resume negotiations with striking actors.
- Jesse Plemons highlights the impact of streaming services on compensation for actors and the challenges faced by “journeymen-type actors.”
Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul has revealed that he makes nothing from the smash hit show being on Netflix, despite its huge popularity on the streaming platform. While standing on the picket line alongside his co-stars Bryan Cranston and Jesse Plemons as part of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Paul stated that it is now time for streaming services such as Netflix to “pony up” and pay the talent properly. Check out what Paul had to say below:
“I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad to be totally honest and that’s insane to me. I think a lot of these streamers know that they have been getting away with not paying people a fair wage and now it’s time to pony up.”
As noted by The Independent, the cast of Breaking Bad (including stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul), reunited in a plea to Hollywood studios, requesting that they resume negotiations with striking actors. “We want you to come back to the table with us,” the Your Honor star stated while outside Sony Pictures Studios recently.
Cranston and Paul were joined by Jesse Plemons as well as other members of the Breaking Bad cast, in an attempt to invigorate others on the picket lines.
SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) first began their strike more than a month ago in July, joining the WGA (Writers Guild of America) who went on strike back in early May. Issues surrounding streaming services and the impact they’ve made on the production and compensation for those in the industry have been a main focus for both guilds.
The five season crime drama, Breaking Bad (which starred Cranston and Paul as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively), aired from 2008 to 2013 and by its final season, the television series had become one of the most watched and highest rated cable shows ever.
Still, despite its continued popularity on Netflix, Paul said that the show’s streaming success hasn’t resulted in any additional compensation for the El Camino star.
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Studios Are Making It Harder for ‘Journeymen-Type Actors,’ Adds Jesse Plemons
Sony Pictures Television
Jesse Plemons said of the situation, “The way things were structured 10 years ago made a lot of sense, and it made it more possible for journeymen-type actors, actors in the middle that are working just as hard or harder.”
The Malcolm in the Middle star additionally noted that the cast members had decided to have their picket line reunion at Sony, the studio behind Breaking Bad and its spinoffs. But, according to Cranston, the move wasn’t ill-intended. The Emmy Award winning actor said, “We’re not making them the enemy. They are not villains. These are people that we all will be working with once again at some point. We just want them to see reality.”
Cranston later spoke in favor of SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher’s recent remarks to The Associated Press regarding the ongoing strikes. The Godzilla star stated, “Without organized labor, management will just keep stuffing their pockets. They don’t and will not ever just go, ‘You know what? I don’t think this is being fair to those people. I’m going to pay them more.’ It’s just not what they do.”
Also on the picket lines were Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian, cast members from Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul. The series co-creator Peter Gould (who has been on strike with WGA), also made an appearance.
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