Seann William Scott, best known for his role as Stifler in the ‘American Pie’ franchise, recently revealed the shockingly low amount he was paid for his role in the first film. During an appearance on ‘The Rick Eisen Show’, Scott disclosed that he only received $8,000 for his work on the 1999 hit movie. Despite the film’s massive success, Scott found himself working as a ‘churro guy’ at the LA Zoo to make ends meet after splurging most of his paycheck on a used Thunderbird.
Scott’s revelation comes at a time when many actors are speaking out about the low pay and lack of residuals they receive from streaming platforms. The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike has brought attention to the issue, with actors picketing alongside the Writers Guild to demand fair compensation for their work.
In the interview, Scott reminisced about his excitement at receiving the $8,000 paycheck, stating that it felt like a lot of money at the time. He even bought a used Thunderbird for around $5,000 or $6,000, thinking he had hit the jackpot. However, he admitted that he wasn’t sure what happened to the rest of the money, jokingly suggesting that it might have been even less than $8,000 if he had to work as a churro guy at the zoo.
Despite the low pay for the first ‘American Pie’ film, Scott went on to reprise his role in subsequent installments of the franchise. In 2012’s ‘American Reunion’, he and co-star Jason Biggs reportedly received $5 million each. The success of the ‘American Pie’ series catapulted Scott to fame and led to other notable roles in films such as ‘Dude Where’s My Car’, ‘Final Destination’, and ‘Role Models’.
Scott’s revelation about his low pay highlights the ongoing issue of actors being underpaid, especially in the streaming era. Many actors, including Tommy Dorfman and Mandy Moore, have recently spoken out about their meager earnings and the need for fair compensation. Dorfman revealed that she earned less than $30,000 for the first season of ’13 Reasons Why’, despite the show’s massive popularity. Moore shared that she had earned only
