Dax Shepard made an eyebrow-raising claim about his salary on his acclaimed primetime drama Parenthood.
The 50-year-old actor-turned-podcaster starred on the NBC ensemble series as Crosby, part of the expansive but close-knit Braverman clan living in Berkeley, California.
And during a chat with his former costar Lauren Graham — who made a surprising revelation about one of their fellow costars — on the March 10 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast, he turned the topic toward the money they were making together on the series.
According to Dax, he learned during the production that he was one of the lowest-paid members of the main cast.
The show included several more-established actors, including Six Feet Under star Peter Krause, Coach’s Craig T. Nelson, film star Bonnie Bedelia and Lauren, who had starred on the popular WB series Gilmore Girls.
But Dax’s position at the low end of the salary range became apparent whenever the cast would vacillate over what small gift to get all of the crew members.
Dax Shepard, 50, revealed that he was ‘among the lowest’ paid of all the actors on Parenthood on the March 10 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast; seen in 2023 in LA
While chatting with his costar Lauren Graham (second to right) he joked that he always pushed his costars to get the cheapest gift for crew members. ‘I was kinda, like, “Get them a mug, man,”‘ he joked; PR still from
‘There were 13 cast members, and we bought the gift,’ he recalled.
‘You know, we would cumulatively chip in on whatever we were getting the crew and the amount of emails that would go back and forth to decide whether we’re getting this mug or this f***ing [gift]… it was impossible.
‘I know I was making among the lowest of all the actors,’ Dax seethed humorously, adding, ‘I was kinda, like, “Get them a mug, man.”‘
Although Dax made it clear that he was in the bottom of the salary rankings, he decided to change up his usual approach when it came to finding out where he stood among his costars.
He admitted that on previous projects he ‘made it a point to find out what everyone was making.’
‘I’d always figure it out. I’d either get in a conversation where I’d get it out of them or I’d back channel through an agent. I would figure it out,’ he shared.
But he tried a more zen approach on Parenthood and just tried to let it be, which proved to be a winning strategy for him.
‘I went into Parenthood going, “I’m purposely gonna not find out,” and I was so happy on the show,’ he admitted.
He admitted that on previous projects he ‘made it a point to find out what everyone was making’; pictured with Graham on Armchair Expert
But he said he ‘broke that habit’ and didn’t ask about money on Parenthood, which he said was a ‘blessing’; publicity still from Parenthood
Dax, who is married to The Good Place star Kristen Bell, starred on Parenthood over six seasons from 2010 to 2015
However, Dax humorously mused about how he would have reacted if he learned that one of the child actors on the show — Tyree Brown, who played his character’s on-screen son Jabbar — had a bigger payday than him.
‘I was like, “If I find out Jabbar’s making twice as much as me, how can I enjoy going to work?”‘ he joked.
‘That was the first time I ever broke that habit,’ he reiterated. ‘Boy, was it a blessing.’
Despite his misgivings about his Parenthood salary, Dax has done well for himself, and he’s worth $60 million now, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
A large chunk of that is from a massive $80 million deal that he signed with Amazon for his Armchair Expert podcast.
Dax, who is married to The Good Place star Kristen Bell, starred on Parenthood over six seasons from 2010 to 2015.
Although the show’s high ratings sank over time, it remained fairly popular with viewers and was well reviewed by critics during its fun.
Its massive cast also included Traffic actress Erika Christensen, Monica Potter, Mae Whitman and Sarah Ramos.
Dax — who’s married to Kristen Bell (pictured together on February 22 in Las Vegas) — said he doesn’t ‘desire to act at all’ anymore, but a short Parenthood revival could draw him back
Elsewhere on Dax’s podcast, Lauren made a surprising revelation when she claimed that their costar Mae Whitman’s son Miles’ father was her costar Carlos Valdes
Whitman has never identified her child’s father or spoken about a relationship with Valdes, but the two worked together on Hulu’s musical comedy Up Here; pictured in New York City in March 2023
Dax has primarily established himself behind the microphone on his Armchair Expert podcast in recent years, but he admitted that a Parenthood revival was one of the few things that could get him back in front of the camera.
‘I don’t desire to act at all, but I deeply miss being on Parenthood,’ he admitted. ‘And there is a version of that show I would probably do if it were eight episodes or 10 episodes, I could manage my now-real job.’
Elsewhere on Dax’s podcast, Lauren made a surprising revelation about one of their fellow Parenthood costars.
While talking about her relationship with her on-screen daughter, played by Mae Whitman, Lauren let slip the father of Whitman’s son, Miles, who was born in August 2024.
Whitman, 36, has not publicly revealed her son’s father, but Graham claimed that it was the actor Carlos Valdes.
Mae and Carlos previously worked together on the Hulu musical comedy Up Here.