The Simpsons is one of the most successful sitcoms of all time and that is reflected in its history. The series has been around since 1989 and continues to receive new episodes today. There have been many celebrity cameos over the years. One of them received several million dollars annually even though she only appeared in one episode.
Which actress is it about? In episode 4 of season 24, Grampa Goes Astray, actress Jennifer Tilly appears as herself. She then appears in a poker tutorial video that Lisa watches.
Most people probably know Jennifer Tilly from the Chucky series, in which she most recently starred in season 3 of the series. She has been working as an actress since 1983 and in 1995 she was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the film Bullets Over Broadway.
She made millions of dollars a year on The Simpsons, and that has nothing to do with her guest role. It was about a divorce and the unseen potential of the series.
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No one knew that “The Simpsons” would continue for trillions of years
How did she get several million dollars? Between 1984 and 1991 she was married to Sam Simon. The television producer created the well-known series together with Matt Groening and James L. Brooks. As a team, they produced the beginnings of the series.
He left the show in 1993, but negotiated royalties, of which he received a percentage. At first it seemed like a bad deal, but he revised the idea on 60 Minutes (via CBS News) in 2007:
When I was there I thought I was underpaid. I thought I didn’t get enough recognition for my work. Now I think it’s exactly the opposite. I get too much credit for my work. And the money is ridiculous.
In the format he also explains that since his departure in 1993 he has made well over $10 million a year just from royalties. Jennifer Tilly also benefited from this, receiving parts of his Simpsons contracts when she divorced in 1991. She also explained: Nobody knew that “The Simpsons” would continue for trillions of years. (via Business Insider).
She was very grateful for that too. She explained on The Originals podcast in 2021 that she did a lot of films just to make money for things like plumbing or leaky ceilings. Thanks to the license fees, she no longer had to do that.
In 2015, Sam Simon died of cancer and donated his entire fortune. It is unclear whether Tilly still receives her royalties these days. But since The Simpsons is still running and therefore selling merchandise, you can assume that. Years later, she still spoke positively about her ex-husband.
Jennifer Tilly most recently starred in the Chucky series, which was canceled after 3 seasons. The horror-comedy series followed the canon of well-known films and even had the original creator there. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes can only recommend the series: The Chucky series has everything to be the perfect trash – but it is surprisingly good