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“The Morning Show” boasts a powerhouse cast, including the iconic Jennifer Aniston, known for her role in “Friends,” alongside film star Reese Witherspoon. This high-profile series is a flagship program on Apple TV, and both leading ladies reportedly earn substantial salaries. Initially, in Season 1, their paychecks exceeded $1 million each, and by Season 4, their earnings had more than doubled. In fact, the total cost to compensate the show’s cast reached $50 million. The production budget for the first two seasons alone was reported to be around $300 million.
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The increased earnings for Aniston and Witherspoon are likely linked to their roles as executive producers and potential ownership stakes, although neither actress has confirmed such details. Witherspoon, in particular, has been vocal about the public’s reaction to their reported salaries, suggesting it reflects a broader perception issue in the industry.
Reese Witherspoon addressed her compensation on “The Morning Show” in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She expressed surprise at the backlash, questioning why people seemed to resent their earnings. Witherspoon pointed out that network executives are strategic in their financial decisions, implying that the investment in their salaries is justified by anticipated returns. She compared their situation to that of sports stars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, whose lucrative contracts are generally accepted as standard practice.
The investment in Aniston and Witherspoon appears to have paid off for Apple TV+. “The Morning Show” has garnered 27 Emmy nominations and won four awards. It quickly climbed the ranks from Apple TV+’s second most-watched series, following “Ted Lasso,” to becoming its most popular show during its third season. Although personal opinions on the show’s quality vary, with some critics rating it 75% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the series’ success suggests that the actresses’ contributions are indeed valuable to the platform.
Reese Witherspoon defended the size of her salary to the press
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Reese Witherspoon didn’t hold back when asked about her salary for “The Morning Show.” Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she said, “There seemed to be a resentment, as if we weren’t worth it or it was bothersome, and I thought, ‘Why is that bothersome?’” She noted that everyone on the business end of the network know what they’re doing when they pay an actress this much cheddar. “I guarantee these companies are real smart, and if they agree to pay us, they’re doing it for a reason. They probably had a lot of lawyers and a lot of business people decide on that number because they knew that they were going to make more than that back. Does it bother people when Kobe Bryant or LeBron James make their contract?”
And it’s not as if the salaries Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have earned didn’t pay off major dividends for Apple TV+. The show has been nominated for 27 Emmys and won four total. It also did well with viewers. It went from being the second most-watched show on Apple TV+, sitting behind “Ted Lasso,” to its most popular series during Season 3 (which we didn’t enjoy very much). However, other critics disagreed and put it at 75% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes‘ Tomatometer. While some fans think it jumped the shark in Season 2, it sounds like both women are definitely more than worth their weight in gold to the streamer.
