Salaries of Familiar Faces From TV Commercials

Real Name: Monica Ruiz
Salary Deal: $89 per hour

In 2019 the world was enamoured with one particular commercial from Peloton – but it wasn’t because the bike looked so good we had to have it. Actress Monica Ruiz starred in the TV ad called “The Gift That Gives Back.” Unfortunately, the ad gave nothing and went down like a led balloon. 

The Peloton Girl Monica Ruiz @MichaelFairman / Twitter.com

The advertisement came under fire for having a distinctly sexist tone, or as Oprah Mag put it, “the video diary is seen as a way for Mr. Man of the House to ensure Wifey doesn’t get plumpy.” Ruiz became infamous as the face of anti-feminism, but how much did she get paid for her efforts?

Considering Peloton took a huge $1-billion-dollar stock loss and after the commercial, Ruiz was probably lucky to get paid the union minimum of $89-per-hour. The actress told Deadline, “Honestly, I think it was just my face. My eyebrows looked worried I guess. People were like, ‘You look scared.’ I’m telling you, it was my face that was the problem.” 

Real Name: Brandon Moynihan
Salary Deal: $180,000 per year*

Brandon Moynihan goes by the name Captain Obvious in his working life. Recurring characters often help brands to really establish a solid presence in the advertising world, so it’s not surprising that so many different companies choose to go down this route. Hotels.com landed on a winner when they hired Monynihan. 

Hotels.com's Captain Obvious Brandon Moynihan @DDOArtists / Youtube.com

Captain Obvious delivers really obvious statements with a lot of fanfare, but somehow the simple concept works well. Moynihan first started working for the company back in 2014, but he’s still got the role today. So, just how much money does the commercial star make? 

It’s thought he makes around $180,000 per year just by working for Hotels.com alone. Add on top any other work he might pick up over that 12-month span and we’ve got our very own obvious fact for you – Moyinhan is doing pretty well. 

Real Name: Clara Peller
Salary Deal: $500,000 per year*

As a young woman, Clara Peller probably never imagined she would become a commercial star in her 80s. It’s every actor’s dream to land a lucrative role at least once in their career, but Peller had to wait a little while before opportunity came knocking. In this case, it was Wendy’s. 

Where's the beef - Lady Clara Pelle @Commercial Break Room / Youtube.com

The fast-food chain cast her in a spot that became an instant hit. Peller walks up to the counter in a competing fast-food restaurant, looks at the burger and says, “Where’s the beef?” thus cementing her status as the “Where’s the beef?” lady. 

Soon, everyone was saying the famous catchphrase. Wendy’s were so keen to keep Clara on-board that they offered her a $500,000-a-year contract. However, things turned sour when Peller started working for Prego Pasta, causing Wendy’s to terminate her contract. Peller passed away two years later at the age of 85 in 1987. 

Real Name: Jim Cashman
Salary Deal: $500,000 per year*

When it comes to Progressive, you can’t dethrone Flo. The irritating character reigns supreme, but that doesn’t mean viewers don’t appreciate her co-worker, Jamie. Actor Jim Cashman takes on the part, becoming somewhat of a minor star in his own right in recent times. 

Progressive Flo's Co-worker Jamie Jim Cashman @bingteam / Pinterest.com

According to Cashman’s Wikipedia page, he originally started out as a member of The Groundlings sketch comedy troupe in Los Angeles before going on to write for SNL, Benched, and The Looney Tunes Show. His impressive comedy background probably helps when it comes to being a memorable ad star. 

Even though Cashman isn’t the main attraction in the Progressive ads, he still takes home an impressive sum. According to Delite, Jim pulls in around $500,000 per year thanks to his contract with the company. No wonder he’s smiling all the time! Cashman is laughing all the way to the bank. 

Real Name: Hallie Eisenberg
Salary Deal: $1 million*

Pepsi is known for its incredible ads – and the ones that go down in history for all the wrong reasons, like the infamous Kendall Jenner commercial. Huge names have worked with the brand over the years, from Cindy Crawford to Britney Spears. But, perhaps one of the most memorable from the ‘90s is Hallie Eisenberg, the adorable curly-haired youngster. 

Pepsi Girl Hallie Eisenberg @Tyler Angel / Youtube.com

Eisenberg stuck with the company for a series of commercials across the late ‘90s and into the millennium. Hallie was just 6 at the time, but despite her age, she was still able to command a decent salary. It’s thought that Eisenburg took home around $1 million in total for the Pepsi commercials. 

Bonus fact: Hallie is the younger sister of actor Jesse Eisenburg, so she comes from good stock. Jesse starred in The Social Network, Batman v. Superman, Now You See Me, and more. As for Hallie, she’s now in her 20s and hasn’t appeared in a movie since 2010.

Real Name: Isaiah Mustafa
Salary Deal: $5 million*

Isaiah Mustafa is, according to Old Spice, the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like”. What people might not know about him is that he was a former wide receiver. He originally played football for the Oilers in the 1990s (and was also on the practice squads for the Browns and the Raiders). He left football for acting.

The Old Spice Guy (Isaiah Mustafa) @ Z965WAZY / Twitter.com

He first appeared in the soap opera days of our lives before signing a deal with NBC and appearing in Horrible Bosses. He now has more current roles in It Chapter Two. Mustafa expressed interest in the role of Marvel character Luke Cage before losing the role to Idris Elba.   

Mustafa also has experience in the restaurant industry. He owned his own restaurant, called Jo Jo’s Barbecue, in Los Angeles in 2000. It has since closed. Another fun fact about the commercial actor is that he once dated professional wrestler Lana (non-ring name: Catherine Perry). They ended up breaking up, sadly.

Real Name: T.J. Jagodowski
Salary Deal: $300,000*

T.J. Jagodowski is a Chicago actor who is an alum of Syracuse University. Jagadowski is an improv comedian, and his improv style was what caught the eye of Sonic when they were casting around for a new commercial actor. He and fellow actor Pete Grosz appear in the commercials, almost always improvising their lines.

The Guy from Sonic Commercials (T.J. Jagodowski) @ EaglesMattFoley / Twitter.com

The Chicago Improv Festival deemed Jagodowski Chicago’s “best improviser.” It’s certainly paid off, as he has had roles in movies like Get Hard, The Ice Harvest, Stranger than Fiction and more. He also had a bit role on the drama/thriller Prison Break, which aired on Fox.   

Jagodowski and Karpvosky were featured in the documentary Trust Us, This Is All Made Up, which chronicled their performance and unique chemistry. The documentary aired at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2009. The improv between the two has been the subject of much study among new and old comedians alike.

Real Name: Maria Bamford
Salary Deal: $300,000*

Comedian Maria Bamford is a stand-up artist as well as a voice actress and film star. Her first comedy album was The Burning Bridges Tour, and How to WIN! followed this tour four years later. She had her first movie role in Lucky Numbers in 2000 before she took to voice-over acting.

The Target Lady (Maria Bamford) @ mariabamford / Facebook.com

She has a very famous voice in addition to her Target commercials. She has done voice work for American Dad!, Bojack Horseman, CatDog, Adventure Time and more. Her most recent non-commercial work is Hell & Back, a movie  that was released in 2015.  

The Netflix original series called Lady Dynamite, which was released in 2016, is about Bamford’s life and rise to stardom. The documentary featured Bamford in the lead role, and she received critical acclaim for her performance and range. The topics touched on Bamford’s struggle with mental health, about which she has been quite open.

Real Name: Angela Sarafyan
Salary Deal: $75,000*

Armenian actress Angela Sarafyan initially became known to audiences as the umbrella girl in Cingular Wireless commercials. Today, however, even though Cingular Wireless is no longer (it was acquired and rebranded as AT&T), Sarafyan has exploded into one of cinema’s most promising talents with roles in WestWorld, Repo Chick, Never and The Immigrant.

Angela Sarafyan @Brandon LeBlanc / YouTube.com

She’s also appeared on shows like Judging Amy, The Division, 24, Criminal Minds, Nikita, The Mentalist, and many more. Her most recurring role before WestWorld was on USA Network’s series In Plain Sight. She comes from a family of artists. Her father is an actor as well, and her mother is a painter. She moved to America when she was four.

You might also recognize Sarafyan from her role in the Netflix movie, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. She had a small role as Joanna in the thriller about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy (played by Zac Efron). Sarafyan then ventured into video games, playing Max in Telling Lies.

Real Name: Jonathan Goldsmith
Salary Deal: $1 million*

Known as “The Most Interesting Man in the World” (according to beer company Dos Equis), Jonathan Goldsmith has been an actor since 1963. He was born in New York City, and he got his first role on a Perry Mason series. He gained traction appearing in Western movies, with twenty-five Western roles under his belt.

‘The Most Interesting Man in the World’ (Jonathan Goldsmith) @ LAmag / Twitter.com

He also was on television shows such as Dallas, Gunsmoke, CHiPs, Bonanza, Charlie’s Angels, T.J. Hooker, Hardcastle & McCormick, Knots Landing, Magnum P.I., and other shows and TV movies. His commercials for Dos Equis were so popular that they increased sales by 15.4%.

He was so successful at advertising that he was able to quit Hollywood in the eighties and focus on marketing. He advertised products like Dri Wash & Guard and SPRINT. In 2017, Goldsmith returned to TV, but not for Dos Equis. He now does ads for Astral Tequila, a rival brand.

Real Name: Demetri Goritsas
Salary Deal: $100,000*

Born in the US but raised in British Columbia, Demetri Gorsitas has appeared in blockbuster movies, TV series theatre – but he’ll probably always be remembered as the Slim Jim guy. He attended the Royal School of Speech & Drama and Prince George Secondary School. In addition to his acting work, he has also narrated documentaries.

Demetri Goritsas @Consumer Time Capsule / YouTube.com

He has been in TV shows like Episodes and movies like Saving Private Ryan, X-Men First Class, Darkest Hour, and The Bourne Identity. His upcoming projects include an appearance on The Alienist, on TNT, and a role in the movie Radioactive.

Goritsas has quickly become most famous, non-advertising-wise, for his role on Modus, a psychological thriller series on which he plays the role of Max Cain. Modus airs in Sweden, and it is based on a Swedish book. Goritsas has definitely found his niche in dramas, horrors, and thrillers, both action and psychological.

Real Name: Carly Foulkes
Salary Deal: $1 million*

Carly Foulkes became the T-Mobile girl after she answered a random ad in 2009. She quickly became a staple of all the commercials, typically wearing pink-and-white leather biker gear. She was only in ads from 2010 until 2013, but she has made guest appearances since then and is still, according to the company, part of the “brand family.”

Carly Foulkes @rexbo2000 / YouTube.com

What people might not realize is that the pink/magenta outfits that Foulkes wore for commercials are actually a trademark color. T-Mobile owns a trademark for that specific shade of magenta, which it uses as part of its corporate color marketing plan.

Though T-Mobile isn’t working with Foulkes anymore after two and a half years, there doesn’t appear to be any bad blood. The company side that the switch had to do with a new direction—offering consumers a more simple choice. Foulkes still appears at events, such as a commercial against texting and driving.

Real Name: Laurel Coppock
Salary Deal: $1 million*

Laurel Coppock became famous for her Toyota commercials in which she played a fun, aspiring employee named Jan. She’s more than just Toyota Jan, however. She has had guest appearances on well-known TV shows, including Hot in Cleveland, Arrested Development, The Office, Modern Family, and more.

The Toyota Girl (Laurel Coppock) @ mensdailynews1 / Twitter.com

Coppock got her degree in Performing Arts from Colby College. She then studied acting professionally at the Square Acting Conservatory. After that, she relocated to Chicago to study improv comedy. She was hired in Amsterdam to work for Boom Chicago before she managed to snag a role on TV. You might also recognize her as Sophia from Crazy, Stupid, Love.

In 2012, she was in a short film (and wrote the film itself) called Comedy Jam. That helped launch her career just as much as the Toyota commercials. Coppock’s current projects mostly focus on TV, as that appears to be a medium she is most comfortable with (though Crazy, Stupid, Love grossed over $84 million).

Real Name: Beck Bennett
Salary Deal: $250,000*

Beck Bennett decided he wanted to be an actor after he performed in a children’s theater in his hometown. Bennett is now known for his very funny roles on Saturday Night Live as a regular cast member. But long before that, he was known for his AT&T commercials, where he was the “It’s Not That Complicated” guy.

The “It’s Not That Complicated” Guy (Beck Bennett) @ Adweek / Twitter.com

During that time period, he also created sketch videos with Good Neighbor, a comedy group, and had roles in Theatre of Life, which aired on YouTube. He landed his featured SNL role in 2013, in part because he was so talented at impressions.