Former Disney star Ryan McCartan revealed on Instagram the residual payments he receives from the network for his past work, which surprised his followers because of how low they actually are.
How Much Does Ryan McCartan Get from Disney?
Ryan McCartan shared with his fans how much he receives from Disney for his previous work with the company.
In his Instagram story, he posted a screenshot of his pending residual payment. It read, “You have 1 payment totaling $0.41 on the way… be on the lookout.”
“When they ask me if Disney Channel paid well,” he jokingly wrote above it.
The 31-year-old actor’s residual payment is the network’s compensation for his participation in a show that is currently airing in reruns.
McCartan’s Disney career began in 2013, when he played Diggie Smalls in the original series Liv and Maddie. His recurring role was the love interest of one of the main protagonists, Maddie, and he portrayed the character until the show’s finale in 2017.
After that, he moved into the Broadway scene and appeared in acclaimed musicals such as Wicked, West Side Story, South Pacific, and Frozen.
Now, he’s starring as Jay Gatsby in The Great Big Gatsby, having replaced Jeremy Jordan in January. The musical, directed by Marc Bruni, is currently running in New York’s theater district.
Why Are Ryan McCartan and Other Former Disney Stars Getting Low Residuals?
A similar type of post from another Disney actor surfaced in 2023. This time, he showed that he didn’t even receive a single cent.
Lizzie McGuire star Robert Carradine famously posted an Instagram story with a picture of his $0 residual check, which he captioned: “Why we’re striking.”
During this period, actors went on a four-month strike over receiving less than a dollar, or even nothing, for starring in shows that continue to be reused on streaming platforms.
The SAG-AFTRA strike included not only actors who had roles in former series from network giants like Disney, but also radio hosts, singers, and others, all receiving minuscule compensation for their previous work.
They found it unfair that while companies like Disney, for instance, brought in $21.82 billion in 2023 from streaming older series, the actors involved couldn’t even rely on their paychecks to save for retirement.
It turns out that as platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ grow more popular, and traditional TV continues to decline, residual checks for actors have also decreased.
One major issue raised during the strike was that producers wouldn’t agree to better compensation for actors whose work is being featured on these streaming services.
“Ours is a fickle industry, and in my 20+ years of being a performer, my career has ebbed and flowed,” Mandy Moore shared on Instagram, referring to the $0.81 she received in streaming revenue from This Is Us.
“I’ve had very lean years when I couldn’t get a job, and those are precisely the moments when, in years past, actors could rely on residuals from their past work to help them get by,” the singer added.
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