The top 18 Hollywood executives raked in a combined $746 million in compensation in 2025, according to TheWrap’s analysis of company proxy filings.
The total compensation for the top executives surged a stunning 51% from a year earlier, based on a tally of $615 million vs. $408.5 million in 2024. (This total excludes Paramount’s David Ellison and Jeff Shell and Starz’s Jeff Hirsch, who do not have 2024 comparisons.)
The overall pay increase for executives, primarily driven by stock awards, comes as the entertainment industry has been battered over the last few years by consolidation, a double strike by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and the exodus of TV and film productions heading overseas for tax incentives.
The pay gap is particularly eye-opening when stacked against the more than 17,000 jobs cut across television, film, broadcast, news and streaming in 2025, according to employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Hollywood workers have been on edge as media companies cut staff in the name of cost savings, in part driven by the adoption of AI, with deals like Skydance’s merger with Paramount and its upcoming acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery catalysts for even more cuts.
The combined compensation of the average employees of the entertainment companies included in the analysis represents just 0.2% of the CEOs’ combined pay. According to SEC filings, top entertainment and communication conglomerates report staggering CEO-to-worker pay ratios (topped by WBD CEO’s David Zaslav at 1,378 to 1, see below), well exceeding the S&P 500 average of 281 to 1 reported in 2024.
Taking the prize for largest pay package was Zaslav, whose compensation more than tripled to $165 million. And that doesn’t include the up to $887 million golden parachute he may receive with the closing of the Paramount merger.
Zaslav also held the largest pay gap with his employees, though when excluding one-time grants, the ratio drops to 463 to 1. Other executives with massive gaps include AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron at 1,174 to 1 and Ellison at 1,109 to 1. Starz’s Hirsch was the executive with the smallest CEO pay ratio at 67 to 1.
When taking a broader look at 318 companies within the S&P 500 index, an ISS Corporate study found that media and entertainment CEO pay had the most dramatic rise of any industry during the 2025 proxy season, with a median increase of 117.4%. In comparison, the sector’s median shareholder return fell 28.6%.
The increases haven’t gone unnoticed. Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders notably rejected Zaslav’s golden parachute, and while executive pay votes are non-binding, one notable example where shareholder pushback resulted in meaningful change was in 2023 when Netflix capped its co-CEO base salaries at $3 million and required that 50% of their pay be in stock options.
Victor Sanchez, executive director of the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, told TheWrap that the “massive inequality” between executives and workers is a crisis that requires more action. The nonprofit has proposed an “Overpaid CEO Tax,” which would impact chief executives who make more than 50 times what their median worker makes – with higher taxes as that gap grows more extreme. The initiative needs 140,000 valid signatures to be included on the November ballot.
Sanchez estimates it would generate over $500 million in revenue annually, which the nonprofit would like to see reinvested in building housing, funding after-school programs, repairing sidewalks and bringing healthy food choices into areas with no decent options by supporting local grocery stores.
“Working families are facing soaring housing costs, skyrocketing grocery prices and critical neighborhood infrastructure like streets and sidewalks falling into disrepair while the rich just get richer,” Sanchez said. “That money will go toward services working families in Los Angeles desperately need.”
Check out TheWrap’s full executive pay roundup for 2025 below.
Netflix: Ted Sarandos, Greg Peters and Reed Hastings
Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos’ pay fell 13% to $53.9 million and Greg Peters’ pay fell 12% to $53.2 million.
The pair each received a $3 million base salary, $41.4 million in stock awards and $7.1 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation. Sarandos and Peters also received $2.5 million and $1.73 million in “other” compensation, respectively.
In comparison, the median Netflix employee made $211,201, putting Sarandos’ CEO pay ratio at 255 to 1 and Peters’ at 252 to 1.
Meanwhile, former executive chairman Reed Hastings’s total compensation fell 29% to $1.2 million. He received a $33,846 base salary, $936,421 in stock awards, $271,234 in option awards and $612 in cash in lieu of health benefits that were not used.
Hastings is set to step down from the board following the streamer’s annual meeting in June.
Disney: Bob Iger
Outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger saw an 11% bump in his pay to $45.8 million in 2025.
His package included a $1 million base salary, $21 million in stock awards, $14 million in option awards, $7.3 million in non-equity incentive compensation and $2.6 million in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median Disney employee made $56,932, putting Iger’s pay ratio at 805 to 1.
Warner Bros. Discovery: David Zaslav
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s pay more than tripled to $165 million in 2025.
His package included a $3 million base salary, $110 million in option awards, $22.6 million in stock awards, $25.7 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $4.1 million in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median WBD employee made $119,748 in 2025, putting Zaslav’s pay ratio at 1,378 to 1. When excluding one-time grants, Zaslav’s pay would’ve been $55.4 million, which would put his pay ratio at 463 to 1.
Zaslav is also eligible for up to $887 million in golden parachute compensation tied to the Paramount merger. While shareholders voted to reject the executive compensation packages tied to the merger, the vote was advisory and non-binding.
Paramount: David Ellison and Jeff Shell
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison raked in $63.2 million in compensation for 2025.
The package, which covers the closing of the Paramount Skydance merger on Aug. 7 to Dec. 31, included a $1.4 million base salary, $58.7 million in stock awards, $1.4 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $1.7 million in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median employee made $57,004, putting Ellison’s pay ratio at 1,109 to 1.
Meanwhile, former president Jeff Shell received $60.7 million in total compensation for the period.
His package included a $1.41 million base salary, $58.7 million in stock awards, $567,807 in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $9,135 in “other” compensation.
In connection with his exit from the company, Shell will receive the payments and benefits under the terms of his previously disclosed separation agreement, which amounts to around $5 million.
Comcast: Brian Roberts and Mike Cavanagh
Comcast chairman and co-CEO Brian Roberts’ pay grew 3.8% to $35.2 million in 2025. The package included a $2.6 million base salary, $23.5 million in stock awards, $8.6 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $491,200 in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median Comcast employee’s total compensation for 2025 was $92,390, putting Roberts’ pay ratio at 381 to 1.
Meanwhile, Mike Cavanagh, who served as Comcast’s president and was promoted to the role of co-CEO alongside Roberts in January, saw his pay climb 154% to $71.8 million.
The package included a $2.6 million base salary, $60.3 million in stock awards, $8.6 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $231,392 in “other” compensation.
In connection with his promotion to co-CEO, Cavanagh received a performance stock unit (PSU) grant with a target value of approximately $35 million.
Fox: Lachlan Murdoch
Lachlan Murdoch’s pay increased 38.5% to $33 million in 2025.
The package included a $3 million base salary, $10.6 million in stock awards, $2.75 million in option awards, $10.7 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation, $4 million related to a change in the value of retirement benefits and $2 million in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median Fox employee made $100,889, putting Murdoch’s pay ratio at 327 to 1.
Lionsgate: Jon Feltheimer
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer saw his total compensation for the studio’s fiscal year 2025 fall 46% to $9.8 million.
The package included a $1.5 million salary, $1.2 million bonus, $6.7 million in stock awards and $396,200 in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median Lionsgate employee made $131,000, putting Feltheimer’s pay ratio at 75 to 1.
In addition, Feltheimer received $224,083 in total pro-rated compensation tied to the Starz separation, which included a $126,712 base salary and $2,674 in “other” compensation.
Starz: Jeff Hirsch
Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch pulled in $6.8 million in total compensation in 2025.
The package, which covers the nine-month transition period spanning April 1 and Dec. 31, 2025, included a base salary of $1.7 million, stock awards of $2.5 million, non-equity incentive plan compensation of $3 million, a $96,218 change in pension value and non-qualified, deferred compensation earnings and $13,241 in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median Starz employee made $100,157, putting Hirsch’s pay ratio at 67 to 1.
TKO Group Holdings: Ari Emanuel
TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel’s pay increased 272% to $67.4 million.
The package included a $3 million base salary, an $11.9 million bonus, $44 million in stock awards, $8.1 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $379,103 in “other” compensation.
The median TKO employee made annual compensation of $82,428, putting Emanuel’s pay ratio at 813 to 1.
Roku: Anthony Wood and Charles Collier
Roku founder, chairman and CEO Anthony Wood saw his pay fall 4% to $26.6 million in 2025. The package included a $1 million base salary, $12.7 million in stock awards, $12.8 million in option awards and $29,910 in “other” compensation.
Roku Media President Charlie Collier saw his pay climb 30.6% to $13.9 million in 2025. His package included a $6.83 million base salary, $7.1 million in option awards and $21,843 in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the annual total compensation of Roku’s median employee was $267,706, putting the CEO pay ratio at 99 to 1.
AMC Global Media: Kristin Dolan
AMC Global Media CEO Kristin Dolan’s pay climbed 44% to $12.5 million in 2025.
The package included a $2 million base salary, a $150,000 one-time signing bonus related to her new employment contract, $4.2 million in stock awards, $6 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $113,803 in “other” compensation.
AMC Theatres: Adam Aron
AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron’s pay increased 31.9% to $15 million in 2025.
His package included a $1.6 million base salary, $7.4 million in stock awards, $6 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $36,098 in “other” compensation.
In comparison, the median AMC Theatres employee made $12,756 in total compensation, putting the CEO pay ratio at 1,174 to 1.
Cinemark: Sean Gamble
Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble’s pay increased 10% to $10.8 million in 2025.
The package included a $1 million base salary, $6.5 million in stock awards, $3.2 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $115,439 in “other” compensation.
The median employee received $11,718 in total compensation, putting the pay ratio with Gamble at 923 to 1.
