The 'Vanderpump Villa' Cast Got Paid a Pretty Penny To Spend a Few Weeks in France

The early days of any reality show typically sees cast members bring home something akin to chump change. Jax Taylor from Vanderpump Rules once revealed that he and the other cast members made $5,000 per episode in those early days. And now, it makes you wonder how much the cast of Vanderpump Villa is paid for their time on messy reality television.

Most new reality shows don't pay cast members much, since these are usually brand new reality stars-in-the-making and plucked from virtual obscurity. However, in the Season 1 finale of Vanderpump Villa on Hulu, we get an idea of how much the Château Rosabelle staff made for their first season in France. And if the numbers are the real deal, it's not a bad way to spend a few weeks making money. The drama and tears might even be worth it in the end.

Although the cast of Vanderpump Villa hasn't come out to share exactly what Hulu or Lisa paid them per episode or hourly for their time as chefs, housekeepers, bartenders, managers, and waiters, they did walk away with hefty seasonal bonuses. And those checks could be an indicator of how much they made otherwise.

On top of what they earned for being on the show and working at the chateau, the cast members each earned an $8,000 check, courtesy of Lisa. That is, presumably, in addition to what they each earned on the show, since the cards each cast member is given in the finale clearly state that this is a "bonus" rather than a standard payment for each cast member.

During the Season 1 reunion special, Lisa revealed that she gave Anthony an additional private bonus. Wait a second, how did she decide which cast member got a secret second bonus? Well, she asked each employee who they thought stood out the most during the season — Anthony emerged as the crowd favorite, swaying Lisa's final choice.

You have to assume that these bonus checks mean the cast members get paid an hourly wage on top of what they might have earned for being in front of the cameras all season. As far as any potential hourly wage the employees might earn, the average hourly rate for hotel workers in Paris is around $21. On top of bonuses and a potential check from Hulu, these cast members make out pretty well.

According to The U.S. Sun, filming for the first season took place over September and October 2023. That means the staff worked and lived at the chateau for likely less than two months, during which they got to know each other, learned the ropes of their individual jobs, and earned their keep from Lisa.

That also means they had to work a lot less time than most reality TV show stars who earn paychecks from several months of filming at a time. As of now, it's still not clear which, if any, of the Château Rosabelle employees will be back, should Vanderpump Villa get a second season.

But Lisa seems pretty optimistic in the final moments of the Season 1 finale, and she sees something in each of her recruits, so that has to mean something. If not, there will always be a batch of messy reality TV show participants at the ready for opportunities like this.

Vanderpump Villa is now streaming on Hulu.