'Seinfeld' star Jason Alexander once demanded a $1 million salary — he stills earns from the show

In the long history of television, only a handful of shows come close to the popularity of "Seinfeld". Created by Jerry Seinfeld, the show catapulted several stars to fame including Jason Alexander who played the show's beloved character, George Costanza. At the height of its success, "Seinfeld" raked in millions in profits for NBC, and there was a point when its cast wanted to take a bite out of it. 

Broke the economics of TV

In an old interview with Charlie Rose, Alexander expressed that despite being in one of the most popular shows of all time, his career wasn't going well.  He shared that while Seinfeld as a creator was bagging syndication points, the other cast members did not get the lucrative deal. 

Thus, they came up with the idea to take a hefty salary instead. While their initial demand was for more than a million dollars per episode, the network refused that as well. Finally, the three leading actors and Alexander settled for a pay of $600,000 per episode.

While it was substantially less than what they asked for, it was still a ridiculously high amount for the time. In fact, Alexander felt that their salary broke the economics of television shows and the network should never have agreed to make the deal. Nevertheless, it allowed the actor to amass an incredible fortune that very few can match. 

The versatile actor, comedian, director, producer, singer, and writer, has amassed a substantial net worth of $50 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Best known for his iconic portrayal of George Costanza on the legendary sitcom "Seinfeld," Alexander's career has been a rollercoaster of success and hard work.

Born Jay Scott Greenspan on September 23, 1959, in Newark, New Jersey, he has made significant contributions to both the entertainment industry and charitable causes.

Jason Alexander's income has flowed from various sources throughout his illustrious career. His role on "Seinfeld" which ran for nine years was a pivotal source of earnings. However, before achieving sitcom stardom, he starred in the CBS sitcom "Everything's Relative" in 1987.

In the early seasons of "Seinfeld," Alexander, along with fellow supporting cast members Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards, earned a nominal salary for their work on the show. It wasn't until season 5 in 1993 that they successfully negotiated raises, earning $150,000 per episode, or approximately $3.8 million per season. In the final season, they each received a staggering $600,000 per episode, totaling $15 million each, equivalent to around $24 million today.

Apart from his acting career, Jason Alexander has significantly boosted his net worth through endorsement deals, public appearances, and voiceover work. He has lent his talent to commercials for well-known companies like Burger King, Pepsi, and McDonald's. Additionally, he has provided voiceovers for popular video games, including "Grand Theft Auto V" and "Lego Dimensions."