How Do ‘Selling Sunset’ Stars Get Paid — And Why Can the Amount Change?

Netflix viewers might be surprised to find out that the Selling Sunset cast isn’t paid for every episode in a season.

During the Tuesday, April 29, episode of the “Richer Lives by SoFi” podcast, Emma Hernan revealed that she and her costars are paid for every episode they appear in.

“For our show, we get paid per episode,” she told host Vivian Tu. “If you make the episode, you get paid. If they cut you out of the episode, you don’t get paid.”

Emma, 33, admitted that filming the show can get “so expensive.”

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“You have to pay for glam, styling and everything yourself,” she explained. “Honestly, when I first joined the show, I was in the negative. Let’s be honest, fashion is big on Selling Sunset, so you have to look nice.”

Emma compared being on Selling Sunset to “creating a brand,” adding, “I am putting my personal life out there, I need to make this worth it.”

Selling Sunset, which debuted in 2019, follows employees at high-end Los Angeles real estate brokerage the Oppenheim Group. The reality series initially starred Chrishell Stause, Mary Bonnet, Jason Oppenheim, Brett Oppenheim, Heather Rae El Moussa, Maya Vander and Christine Quinn. The show has since evolved with a slew of new cast members, including Emma, Chelsea Lazkani, Nicole Young, Bre Tiesi and Alanna Gold.

While the cast has changed, the fashion and drama has not. Emma knows that very well after being at odds with Nicole, 38, who accused Emma of sleeping with a married man on season 8.

“I wasn’t given a voice in the last season. I had no idea what was being filmed behind my back. I filmed an entire season just trying to be there for one of my best friends [Chelsea] going through one of the most difficult times of her life and that was taken away by what happened when the show came out and me being blindsided,” Emma told Us in December 2024 about finding out what Nicole said days before the episodes aired. “You saw me in a light that was false and unfair. I’m very passionate about that [because of] how hurtful it was to me. I really can’t reiterate how painful it was to me and how shocked I was and how hurt I was and how blindsided I was to everything.”

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While Nicole claimed Emma knew about the rumors being mentioned on the show, Emma couldn’t disagree more, adding, “I had zero idea. Chelsea and Chrishell had zero idea. It was literally a complete blindside to myself and my two best friends because everybody made sure not to let them know because they were going to let me know, so I had zero idea.”

Nicole later publicly issued an apology, which Emma refused to accept.

“I will never accept her apology. I do not think she is a good person. I know that she lied,” Emma explained to Us. “I like to surround myself with positive people and she’s not a positive person. What she’s done to me and what she’s done to Chrishell and what she’s done to others, I don’t agree with and I never will.”

At the time, Emma was relieved she would get to clear the air in season 9, adding, “When you have to be around somebody that literally hurt you so bad and did so much damage, of course it’s difficult. I don’t wish that upon my worst enemy. What she did to me, I don’t wish that upon my worst enemy.”

She continued: “I think she’s so evil. Honestly, the only thing that drives me to address it and clear the air is to tell my truth so people can understand, but that’s the only reason that I would have a conversation with Nicole.”

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After filming started, Us confirmed that Selling Sunset had to hit pause due to a messy feud between Nicole and Chrishell, 43.

“I had a call with production two days ago during which they told me I have absolutely not been fired from the cast but they chose to pause my filming schedule until next week in order to protect me from situations on set that had become very contentious,” Nicole told Us in a statement in January. “I’m still debating whether or not I want to continue filming in this kind of environment, especially with so many infuriating double standards.”

Nicole added: “Selling Sunset has been a great opportunity and a wild ride, but it is not my life or identity. I have a big, beautiful life outside of the show…and thankfully in the real world, my life and personality can’t be edited or misconstrued to portray me negatively to fit into a produced storyline.”

Selling Sunset is currently streaming on Netflix.