Zendaya’s reign continues.
After renegotiating her contract with HBO, Zendaya is set to make $1 million per episode for her role as Rue Bennet on HBO’s hit show Euphoria, making her the youngest and highest-paid Black actress in television history.
Other actors who’ve made such amounts include the lead cast of Friends in their final season, the lead cast of Game of Thrones, and Nicole Kidman and Witherspoon for Big Little Lies.
She has, however, not beaten Angela Bassett, who, by earning $450,000 per 9-1-1 episode, set a record for the highest-paid Black actress on network television.
Euphoria has been one of the most talked-about shows in recent years. Some love it, some hate it, but almost everyone agrees Zendaya’s performance is worth every penny of that $1 million per episode.
Well, except for a few X users who called the pay hike unfair, with one even claiming, “From a purely talent perspective, this is a robbery.”
Luckily, Black Twitter had their girl’s back.
From a purely talent perspective this is a robbery ????
— edward (@onBrandVibes) March 14, 2025
and
Zendaya’s talent is undeniable, and she absolutely deserves every bit of that paycheck. Can’t wait to see what she brings to Euphoria Season 3
— Cashbxnny (@cxshbxnny) March 14, 2025
and
Nobody said anything when the cast of Friends was getting paid this much and more per episode….Anyways, I’m happy for Zendaya, her price went up!! https://t.co/ou1yFUfoXY pic.twitter.com/AoZ8yCGm2v
— H???? (@Helensfilms) March 13, 2025
and
If hearing that someone like Zendaya makes $1 million an episode upsets you, don’t tweet about it.
Scream into a pillow, pick yourself up by your boot straps, and become the most famous woman on earth.— UnMARKetable Tomato ???? (@CheddarOffDead) February 28, 2023
and
Cast in Friends were paid a million an episode (it was celebrated!!) which would be 1.6mill today but Zendaya does it and makes even less… it’s a problem?! #Euphoria pic.twitter.com/xw2ftheANp
— Missy (@Missijusthere) February 28, 2023
In 2020, Zendaya became the youngest actor to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series at 24 years old. Two years later, she made history again as the only Black woman to win the award twice.
“My greatest wish for Euphoria was that it could help heal people,” the Challengers star said in her 2022 acceptance speech.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who has shared their story with me. I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue or feels like they are a Rue, I want you to know I’m so grateful for your stories, and I carry them with me, and I carry them with her.”
