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Sophia Bush Says She Took Home About $3,000 Per 'One Tree Hill' Episode

She describes wide pay gaps plus pre‑streaming contracts that left the original cast without residuals.

Overview

  • Bush told host Vivian Tu she netted about $3,000 per episode after paying agents, managers, lawyers, a publicist, taxes and $3,000 monthly rent in Wilmington.
  • She said six‑year TV contracts and entering without a prior quote left her with little leverage to renegotiate early on.
  • Ahead of season four, her legal team secured a raise that brought her in line with the second‑lowest‑paid woman on the cast.
  • Even after that increase, she said she earned under 20% of a male co‑star’s salary, and producers warned the cast the show was near cancellation to deter raise requests.
  • She added that the cast receives no streaming residuals because their contracts predated streaming, and that equal pay with a male co‑star arrived only around year 20 of her career.