She's here to help

A-List Secrets: How Much Do Megan and Shia Make?

Mon., Aug. 25, 2008 10:03 AM PDT by Leslie Gornstein

Lisa O'Connor/ZUMAPress.com; Steve Granitz/Getty Images

What's the salary range for non-A-listers in movies, people who've been around for a while but are not household names yet (Kristen Bell, Nia Long, Megan Fox)?
—Olivia

First of all, I have to take issue with your science. Nia Long has a longer string of experience than a pliant young punk like Megan Fox. Fox may have luminous eyes that glow like a sexy Gollum, but in terms of her experience, she's in a lesser category.

I point this out because, most likely, they also fall under different pay categories. And just in case I'm about to lose you, I'm also about to mention Shia LaBeouf. (Everybody scream. Eeeee!)

Does his pay fall closer to the Nia Long category or the Megan Fox column? And what is that kind of pay, anyway? Read on...

LaBeouf falls into the Fox category of course. According to Darrell Miller of the entertainment law firm Mason Miller LLP, Fox and LaBeouf both have a ton of heat right now. They can't open a picture by themselves, but as costars, they're about as in-demand as you can get.

"That means they could command seven figures for a big-budget movie," says Miller, who says he propelled DMX from "zero to $5 million" in four films. "Typically you go from $250,000 to $500,000, then $750,000, then you get a million or $1.5 million."

Reliable workhorses like Long—who can hold their own against A-listers but who are generally seen as supporting players—could command anywhere from $55,000 to $250,000, depending on the budget of the film, Miller says.

A few make even more. Actor-producer Kenny Simmons, who is shopping a comedy documentary, tells me he has seen friends perform in small supporting roles for as much as a half-million dollars, if the film is a blockbuster.

Funny. That's what my salary is, too—give or take a few zeros.

Got a question about Hollywood? ASK IT!

Oh, and be my fan on Facebook, 'kay?