For many of us, Fox's Glee was everything we ever hoped for in a quality television show. Starting with lighthearted and occasionally rambling storylines, the show rapidly evolved into a powerhouse that appealed to both teens and adults. It offered realistic high school drama representing marginalized groups and delivered impressive interpretations of musical pop culture, from Elvis to Rihanna and from Rocky Horror to its original and distinctly LGBTQ+ songs.
Of course, in many respects, we owe this to the dynamic ensemble cast. The actors' talents can be appreciated, not least because they each had to demonstrate their singing and dancing abilities, in addition to their acting skills, during auditions. That is no easy feat. Let's look at how the runaway success of Glee has impacted the cast's finances eight years later.
14. Dot-Marie Jones (Sheldon Beiste) – $500,000
13. Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans), Jacob Artist (Jake Puckerman) – $1 million
12. Alex Newell (Unique Adams) – $1.1 million
11. Blake Jenner (Ryder Lynn) – $1.5 million
10. Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones) – $2 million
9. Becca Tobin (Kitty Wilde), Jessalyn Gilsig (Terri Schuester), Jayma Mays (Emma Pillsbury) – $3 million
8. Melissa Benoist (Marley Rose), Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray), Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang) – $4 million
7. Darren Criss (Blaine Anderson) – $5 million
6. Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) – $8 million
5. Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) – $9 million
4. Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams), Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester) – $10 million
3. Lea Michele (Rachel Berry) – $12 million
2. Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang) – $14 million
1. Mike O'Malley (Burt Hummel) – $15 million
While considering the wealth of each of these actors, we should not overlook their achievements outside of Glee. For instance, the highest earning actor on the list, Mike O'Malley, has not only starred in other major projects, such as The Good Place and Snowpiercer, but has also served as an executive producer and co-screenwriter on shows like Survivor's Remorse and the recently canceled Heels. Or take Chris Colfer, who is pursuing careers in music and writing in addition to acting.
Nevertheless, for many of them, Glee was the breakout role that opened the door to the big leagues in Hollywood.