Jim Parsons of The Big Bang Theory has become the highest-paid actor in TV, according to a new report.
The openly gay star, who plays Sheldon on the long-running comedy series, has become one of the most powerful actors in Hollywood.
As the show returns for a ninth series next month, Forbes reports that his pay is now so high that he earns more than any other actor in television.
His reported $29 million earnings surged after the cast signed a new deal to continue making the show – surpassing last year’s list-topper Ashton Kutcher.
Kutcher starred as Walden Schmidt on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, before it concluded with a controversial plot that saw him enter a ‘sham’ same-sex marriage.
Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson also made the list, earning $11 million.
Parsons came out in 2012 , when he was described as gay by The New York Times ahead of appearing in HBO’s AIDS drama The Normal Heart.
He explained earlier this year: “I never had a coming out piece, I just didn’t mention it.
“I took Todd with me to events… and then finally one day while working on Harvey I did a piece with Patrick Healy for The New York Times and he just point-blank asked, ‘Was working on The Normal Heart meaningful to you as a gay man?’
“And I was like, ‘Well, yeah. Yeah.’ And what a wonderful… I can’t tell you what a wonderful thing that was, what a gift he gave me with one question.
“It was suddenly out there and official.”
The Forbes list in full:
1. Jim Parsons: $29 million
2. Johnny Galecki: $27 million
3. Mark Harmon: $20 million
3. Simon Helberg: $20 million
3. Kunal Nayyar: $20 million
3. Ashton Kutcher: $20 million
7. Jon Cryer: $15 million
7. Ray Romano: $15 million
9. Patrick Dempsey: $12 million
9. Simon Baker: $12 million
11. Ty Burrell: $11.5 million
12. Jesse Tyler Ferguson: $11 million
13. Ed O’Neill: $10.5 million
13. Eric Stonestreet: $10.5 million
15. Kevin Spacey: $9.5 million
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