How The Yellowstone Series Had Three Of The Highest Paid TV Stars, Earning Over $1 Million Each

Taylor Sheridan has three major stars earning $1 million or more in Yellowstone, and a few of his other shows.

•  Taylor Sheridan manages TV mega stars with immense $1 million salaries per episode, elevating their careers.
•  Kevin Costner’s net worth soared from “Yellowstone”, attaining impressive financial success and investing in profitable ventures.
•  Sheridan secures high-earners like Mirren and Ford in his series, with Sylvester Stallone joining in for lucrative roles.

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan found himself in charge of three of the highest-earning actors on television, with each taking home more than $1 million per episode. The North Carolina-born cowboy started out as an actor, and rose to prominence with major roles in illustrious TV shows like Sons of Anarchy and Veronica Mars.

He would later transition to work behind the scenes as well, scripting and directing movies such as Sicario and Hell or High Water, even earning himself an Academy Award nomination for the latter. Yellowstone remains his biggest production yet, though, with the series even spawning a universe with multiple spin-offs.

It is in this world of TV that he has found himself supervising mega stars like Kevin Costner, Helen Mirren and Sylvester Stallone, all of whom are paid at least $1 million each.

Kevin Costner Saw His Net Worth Skyrocket Thanks To Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone

Kevin Costner’s financial status has soared significantly due to his involvement in Paramount Network’s neo-Western drama series Yellowstone. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is valued at an astounding $250 million in 2024. This achievement is particularly impressive given his two divorces, although the financial impact of his second from Christine Baumgartner is not as severe as his first, from Cindy Silva in 1994.

In 1991, the two-time Oscar winner’s financial success began to take shape, thanks in large part to the backend income from Dances with Wolves, also his directorial debut in a feature film. His financial wins continued with significant earnings from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Waterworld, among other projects.

It is Yellowstone that stands out as Costner’s biggest earner, however. Although he eventually decided to leave the show—practically bringing it to an end—he is said to have earned a whopping $1.2 million for the fifth and final season. The actor’s incredible wealth has allowed him to partake in ventures outside of acting.

One example was when he invested $24 million in Ocean Therapy Solutions, a U.S. government-created company, focused on addressing oil spills. This investment not only annoyed some of his peers in Hollywood, but also proved to be highly profitable for him, especially during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.

Hellen Mirren And Harrison Ford Are Also Making $1 Million Each

Dame Helen Mirren is another Hollywood legend who has significantly increased her wealth working for Taylor Sheridan. This has come through her role as the Dutton family matriarch, Cara, in the Yellowstone prequel, 1923.

Taylor Sheridan’s Notable Filmography (As of 2024)

In the course of her extensive and decorated career, Mirren has received an Academy as well as a BAFTA Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Her portfolio of accolades also includes three British Academy Television Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards.

In 2022, Sheridan made a significant casting coup by securing both Mirren and Star Wars legend Harrison Ford for the leading roles in 1923. The series, serving as a sequel to 1883, another Yellowstone prequel, dives into the challenges faced by a generation of the Dutton family, in a period marked by adversities such as Prohibition, drought, and the early stages of the Great Depression.

A report by Variety in July 2022 highlighted the substantial earnings of both Ford and Mirren from the series. Each received $1 million per episode for their work in the first season, which consisted of eight episodes.

Sylvester Stallone Is Taylor Sheridan’s Other $1 Million Star For A Different Show
Sylvester Stallone completes the triumvirate of Hollywood A-listers earning more than $1 million in a series created by Taylor Sheridan. For the Rambo and Rocky star, this achievement comes with his role as Dwight “The General” Manfredi in Paramount Plus’ comedy-and-crime-drama, Tulsa King.

In this series, Stallone takes on his first leading role in a scripted television series, expanding his illustrious career beyond the cameo appearances he made in shows such as Las Vegas, This Is Us, and SNL. In the show, Dwight emerges from prison as a Mafia capo tasked with establishing a criminal organization in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

According to the same report by Variety, Stallone’s compensation for his role in the series matched that of Helen Mirren from 1923, cementing his position as one of television’s highest earners already.

In an interview with Collider about his work in Tulsa King, Stallone shared insights into his approach to embodying the character. “Quite often I have to put it in my own words,” he said. “It helps me memorize it, but also there’s a certain cadence that everyone has. Your cadence is different than my cadence, so you can write better for yourself than I can write, if you have that ability.”