Do Famous Actors Really Earn 4 Million Lira a Week From TV Series?

The weekly earnings of the hugely popular stars of Turkey’s hit television dramas frequently make headlines. Lead actors’ salaries reportedly start at a minimum of 1 million Turkish lira, while most famous names earn between 2 million and 4 million lira. Stars such as Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, Çağatay Ulusoy, Burak Özçivit and Kenan İmirzalıoğlu, in particular, are said to sign record-breaking deals. Naturally, this has led many to wonder whether these actors really are paid as much as 4 million lira a week. Crew member Yener Yalçın addressed the claims and compared their earnings with those of actors in the United States.

As the crisis in the television and film industry continues, actors’ per-episode salaries remain a frequent topic of debate.

 The fees commanded by major stars—especially male actors—are so high that their pay is believed to be putting even greater strain on the industry. Phenomenally popular actors such as Kenan İmirzalıoğlu, Burak Özçivit, Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ and Çağatay Ulusoy have reportedly been earning between 2 million and 4 million lira per episode. Their ever-increasing fees have now become a source of controversy.

Crew member Yener Yalçın revealed whether actors really do earn between 3 million and 4 million lira a week.

Yalçın confirmed that Turkish actors receive such weekly payments, but argued that the amounts are actually very low. He said Turkey ranks second only to the United States in the television drama industry, adding that 4 million lira amounts to roughly $100,000—far below what actors are paid in America.