Aaron Paul has revealed that he makes no money from Breaking Bad being streamed on Netflix, despite it being one of the most popular shows on the platform.
For anyone who hasn't seen the show, which many describe as the greatest series to ever exist, Aaron Paul plays Jesse Pinkman who is one of the leading characters and one of the most popular with fans.
So much so, that the follow-up movie to Breaking Bad, El Camino, centered entirely around him and gave his character the closure that fans were calling for.
Paul has joined the host of Hollywood creatives who are currently striking over payments from streaming services, as well as the involvement of AI in the industry.
In an interview with The Independent, Paul expressed his astonishment, saying: "I don’t get a piece from Netflix on Breaking Bad to be totally honest, and that’s insane to me. I think a lot of these streamers know that they have been getting away with not paying people a fair wage, and now it’s time to pony up."
Netflix had secured a deal with Sony Pictures for the streaming rights to Breaking Bad starting with the fourth season. This partnership propelled the show to even greater heights, with the premiere of the fifth season attracting more than double the viewership compared to the previous season.
According to Mashable, the show's creator, Vince Gilligan, acknowledged Netflix's contribution at the Emmys, stating that "Netflix kept us on the air."
It's important to note that Paul and his co-star Bryan Cranston have clarified that they aren't vilifying streaming services. Cranston said: "These are people we all will be working with once again at some point. We just want them to see reality and fairness and come back to the table and talk to us."
He added: "Something that makes the working actor able to pay their bills, pay their rent, buy food for their families. I mean, it’s really to that point. It’s a watershed moment."
Jesse Plemons, who had an instrumental role in the final season of the show, told the Independent: "The way things were structured 10 years ago made a lot of sense and it made it more possible for journeymen-type actors, actors in the middle that are working just as a hard or harder."
In addition to concerns about fair compensation, Bryan Cranston also drew attention to the looming threat of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. He is one of several striking actors and writers who are advocating for safeguards to ensure that their jobs won't be replaced by AI in the future.
If the stars of one of the most viewed shows of all time aren't being fairly compensated, then it demonstrates how those who have smaller roles in lesser-known productions will be struggling to make a living.