Actor Jason Earles, known for his role as Jackson Stewart in the "Hannah Montana" series, shares that Disney provided him with the most detrimental agreement he's ever encountered.
In a candid interview on the 'Night School' podcast, Jason Earles — famously known for his role as Jackson in Hannah Montana — shed light on the rough journey he faced while working with Disney. The actor’s contract with the company, set up during pre-SAG and AFTRA merger times, meant he missed out on a considerable chunk of earnings from reruns and royalties.
Jason explained, "The contract was an AFTRA basic cable agreement, which is like the worst television contract you can be under. One of the ways you make your money is through residuals. For 'Hannah', because it was that agreement, whatever they paid you above scale, they could credit back into your residuals."
This arrangement left Jason with barely any residuals, as the initial higher pay diverted most of the income he should’ve received from reruns. To add salt to the wound, each rerun of an episode was counted as a single use, regardless of the time it aired, further reducing his residuals. As he put it, "I got fed. You’re getting double ded."
Despite the unfair treatment, the Hannah Montana stint led to significant career growth for Jason, and he expresses gratitude for its impact. However, he still feels that he didn't receive the monetary returns he deserved from the massively successful show. Yet, he humbly acknowledges that he’s better off than many, and he's content with where he stands.
Moving beyond the specifics of Jason's Hannah Montana experience, it's important to note that AFTRA agreements offered residual payments for reruns, ensuring actors could continue earning from their work over time. As television continued to evolve, these agreements extended to cover cable distribution and, more recently, digital streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. Nevertheless, insights about Jason's personal views on these agreements remain scarce.
Us, like Jason Earles, might have missed out on a significant portion of earnings from reruns and royalties due to AFTRA basic cable agreements, similar to the one Jason signed during his time on Hannah Montana. Given the success of world entertainment and the influence of celebrities, it's essential for actors to secure fair compensation in their contracts, particularly as their shows or movies are broadcast on various platforms, such as PTI (Paid Television Interface) or streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
