When Cranston first signed on for Breaking Bad in 2008, he wasn’t exactly a marquee name yet. I mean, sure, fans loved him as the bumbling Hal, but that didn’t mean he could demand “Friends”-level money. For the first season, he reportedly made around $150,000 per episode.
Not bad, right? But wait—that’s before taxes, agent fees, and having to buy a new wardrobe for the whole “bald, mustache, and tighty-whities” look. (Side note: can you imagine that clothing expense report?)
By season two, the show was catching fire, and Cranston’s salary got a bump. He was reportedly earning $225,000 per episode by the time Walt started cooking in the RV full-time.
