It’s been over three years since season four of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix, but the hype is far from over.
With the show’s final season wowing fans this month, fans are definitely enjoying being back in Hawkins for one last dance.
And while the spotlight often shines on the show's big stars like Millie Bobby Brown, one actor from season four has just pulled back the curtain on what it’s really like to get paid by Netflix — down to the very last dollar.
Tristan Spohn, who appeared in five episodes as “Number Two,” didn’t just land his first-ever acting gig with the streaming giant — he also scored a paycheck that might surprise you.
Netflix covered more than just airfare
In a detailed YouTube video, Tristan shared how he submitted his audition from Texas and got the call to head to Atlanta, where season four was filmed.
From there, Netflix took care of a lot — but not everything.
He revealed that Netflix paid for his flight and even arranged a personal driver to ferry him to and from the airport, something he estimates cost around $700 each way. But despite the five-star transportation, he was left in a tight spot on arrival.
Surprisingly, Netflix didn’t cover his hotel costs upfront.
That meant on his first night in Atlanta, he couldn’t afford food. “They also shelled out for a personal driver to take him to and from the airport, which he expects would have cost around $700 each way. However, surprisingly, they didn't pay for his hotel at first, which meant that he couldn't afford food on his first night.”
Eventually, Netflix reimbursed him for his six-week stay in what he described as a “very luxurious-looking hotel,” which he estimates cost $7,561.
That brings the total extra costs for Netflix to well over $8,000 before filming even got going.
Travel time and food stipends added up fast
Even when he wasn’t on set, the pay didn’t stop.
Tristan revealed that he earned $150 per hour just for travel time, racking up a total of $2,485. “Being paid for sitting in a car sounds ideal, especially when you're not the one driving, and Tristan says he earned $150 an hour for travel time, which all added up to $2,485.”
On top of that, he received daily per diem payments of $60 for food, which added up to more than $2,500 during the six-week shoot — despite there being free food available on set.
“Fortunately, his 'per diem' payments soon arrived, which totalled $60 per day for food, which resulted in over $2,500 over the six weeks he was there, despite the fact there was free food available on set.”
Flashbacks turned into an unexpected payday
Some of the most surprising cash came from scenes being reused. Because certain shots were repurposed as flashbacks in later episodes, he got paid again — earning nearly $4,000 from those scenes alone.
“Finally, he also managed to get paid for filming some scenes twice, as they were used as flashbacks in later episodes, which remarkably landed him close to $4,000.”
And the checks haven’t stopped. Thanks to the popularity of the show, Tristan still makes money from residuals.
“He's previously explained how he's able to continue making money even now due to the show's success, through residuals, but these extra cheques are welcome bonuses given he's made over $12k in the last three years just from people tuning in.”
Base pay came with a sweet bonus
Tristan’s main paycheck was nothing to scoff at. With a base fee of $30,000 for six weeks, and additional pay for reshoots and overtime, he ended up pulling in $36,000 just for the actual filming.
“Taking into account reshoots and overtime, as well as his eye-catching $30,000 fee for six weeks of work, he earned around $36,000 for his base pay, without adding on the extra fees and bonuses.”
So what was the grand total? Tristan says he made $58,662 before deductions. After taxes took a $15,000 bite and his agency claimed $4,400, his take-home amount was $38,593.
“Adding up all these fees took Tristan's pay to $58,662… he paid around $15,000 in taxes while $4,400 went on an agency fee, meaning the final total was $38,593.”
Still, nearly $40,000 for six weeks of work — plus free food, luxury accommodations, and continued income from reruns — sounds like a pretty solid first acting gig.