What’s up you guys! So it’s throwback Thursday and for today’s throwback video I wanted to follow up on a video I did a few months about how Kid and Play were actually supposed to star in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. And Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff were supposed to do the House Party movies. In that video I mentioned how they all became legends regardless of if they did the movie or the tv show, and I assumed that they were all paid well for their parts.
Well, come to find out, Kid and Play were actually not paid well at all for their parts in House Party. Their co-star AJ Johnson revealed that they all actually only made $4k for their roles in the movie!
So we’re going to get into that. But first, make sure you subscribe to this channel if you enjoy 90s and 2000s throwback videos and click the thumbs up button.
AJ Johnson Reveals “House Party” Leads Only Made $4,000
AJ Johnson, who starred in the 1990 film “House Party,” recently revealed some surprising details about their compensation for their work on the movie. Despite “House Party” becoming a pop culture phenomenon and being inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance, the actors were significantly underpaid.
The Underpayment Issue
AJ Johnson disclosed that they were paid only $4,000 each for their roles in “House Party.” Considering the film’s success and lasting impact, this compensation is amazingly low. “House Party” became an iconic film, celebrated for its energetic portrayal of Black teenage life, hip-hop culture, and New Jack Swing.
In 2022, “House Party” was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, cementing its status as a culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant work. This honor underscores the film’s importance and its enduring legacy. The inclusion in the registry recognizes “House Party” for bringing Black teenage experiences and hip-hop culture into the mainstream American cultural landscape.
But despite it’s cultural significance, the actors were severely underpaid for their roles.
BET reports,
Actress AJ Johnson appeared on Jemele Hill’s “Jemele Is Unbothered” podcast. She revealed that she and her leading cast mates, Tisha Campbell and Kid’n’Play aka Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin, respectively, only made $4,000 for their leading roles in the classic film, “House Party.” “We all made four grand,” Johnson shared.
In the film, Johnson’s character, Sharane, and Play have a Romeo & Juliet-style scene, where Play tries to get Sharane to come out. He then bribes her with Burger King. On the “Unbothered” podcast, Johnson revealed that Burger King reached out to include her and Play’s scene in a commercial for the brand.
“Once the movie came out and it was such a hit, Burger King came and asked if we would sign the rights to one of our scenes for a commercial. A Burger King commercial became me in the window when Play says we gotta go get Kid out of jail and I’m like, ‘I’m not going anywhere.’ And he’s like, ‘If you come with me, I’ll take you to Burger King.’ And I’m like, ‘Burger King?!’”
That scene became a commercial that paid the actors more than the $4,000 they were paid to do the film. To AJ’s point, since the film’s 1990 release, it has become a major and classic piece of pop culture. The classic spawned many sequels and in 2023, the powers that be saw fit to make a reboot, starring Jacob Lattimore and Tosin Cole.
The History of Underpaying Actors
The underpayment of actors, particularly in films that become classics, is a persistent issue in Hollywood. Many actors, especially those from marginalized communities, have historically been under-compensated for their contributions. This trend reflects a broader pattern of exploitation and systemic inequalities in the entertainment industry.
For instance, “Friday,” another film that became a cultural touchstone, faced similar issues. Many actors in “Friday” were paid relatively low wages despite the movie’s success and significant cultural impact.
And not all the actors had an attorney or even in a parent in their corner to advocate for them. Take the case of Jason Weaver.
Jason Weaver was offered $2 million for his role in “The Lion King,” which, at the time, was an incredible amount of money, especially for a young actor from a middle-class family in Chicago. However, his mother had the foresight to see beyond the immediate financial gain. She questioned why Disney was willing to pay such a large sum upfront and realized that accepting the flat fee would mean forfeiting future earnings from the film’s ongoing success (YourTango) (Face2Face Africa).
Instead of taking the $2 million, Haywood negotiated a deal that included a $100,000 upfront payment and ongoing royalties. This decision was based on her understanding of Disney’s history of re-releasing their classic films, which meant that the movie would continue to generate income long after its initial release. Her intuition proved correct as “The Lion King” became one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, leading to substantial and continuous earnings from royalties (Celebrity Insider) (Face2Face Africa).
Over the years, this strategic move has paid off immensely. The royalties from “The Lion King” have far exceeded the initial $2 million offer. Weaver has publicly credited his mother for this wise decision, acknowledging that her foresight provided him with a stable financial foundation throughout his career. He often expresses gratitude for her guidance, highlighting how this pivotal decision shaped his financial future (YourTango) (Celebrity Insider).
Reflecting on Campbell and Johnson’s Journey
Despite the unfair pay for “House Party,” Tisha Campbell, AJ Johnson and Kid n Play have continued to build successful careers in Hollywood. Their roles in “House Party,” along with their subsequent work, have left a lasting impact on audiences and the industry.
Leave a comment and share your thoughts on the House Party cast being severely underpaid for such a classic movie.
