Never Have I Ever actors reportedly demand a pay raise for the upcoming season

Netflix series Never Have I Ever features Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, Richa Moorjani, Lee Rodriguez and Ramona Young in important roles

Never Have I Ever

As the production of the new season of Never Have I Ever begun, it looks like the salaries of the young actors are yet to be finalised. Apparently, they are demanding more money to act in season three of Netflix's teenage drama.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Devi), Darren Barnet (Paxton), Jaren Lewison (Ben), Richa Moorjani (Kamala), Lee Rodriguez (Fabiola) and Ramona Young (Eleanor) have sought pay raise ahead of filming the new season of the show co-created by Mindy Kaling. The portal quoted a source saying that the salary negotiations have been going on for the past two weeks and the deals have been just going back and forth.

The lead actor Maitreyi reportedly was paid $21,000 per episode in season one, less than her other colleagues who have more experience. She is said to be demanding more than other cast members and has been negotiating solo. In season 2, she seems to have earned $26,250 per episode and was also given a bonus of $100,000 bonus ahead of her return for season 3. But her male colleagues with whom her on-screen character has a love triangle, Barnet and Lewison, do not seem to have received the bonus but they earned the same amount for both seasons. They reportedly received a paycheck of $25,000 and $26,250 per episode for seasons 1 and 2 respectively.

It is said Poorna Jagannathan, who plays the role of Nalini, Devi’s mother, is the highest-paid actor on the series. She is known for her roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Big Little Lies and for creating, producing and starring in the play Nirbhaya. The play won her an Amnesty International Award in 2013. There are rumours that Maitreyi is demanding the same pay as Poorna. Barnet, who has recently played an important role in the Netflix rom-com Love Hard, starring Nina Dobrev is also seeking equal pay as Maitreyi. Lewison, Moorjani, Rodriguez and Young are said to be demanding $150,000 per episode for the new season.

Salary negotiations have reportedly increased after season 2 as the shelf life of original works do not seem to stretch further than season 4 or 5. The cast of Netflix’s drama On My Block also reportedly demanded the streamer for pay raise ahead of season three. Star cast of Emmy-winning series of Apple, Ted Lasso also have said to sign new deals for season three of the comedy show. Netflix's hit show Stranger Things cast also went head to head for a pay raise with the OTT player. The young stars started earning $250,000 per episode.

Meanwhile, does that mean more delay for season 3 of Never Have I Ever? We are yet to find out.

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