The Cast of 'Twentysomethings: Austin' Is Full of Struggling Millennials and Gen Z'ers

Whether you love Twentysomethings: Austin or you feel like it's a low-rent version of The Real World, the Netflix reality show has people talking. And six episodes in, viewers feel like they already know the cast pretty well.

It certainly helps that these millennials and Gen Z stars have problems just like the rest of us, including being broke and struggling to find work in a world still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

So it has to be asked — does the Twentysomethings: Austin cast get paid? They're on reality TV and, even though the show is new in 2021, it would make sense for the cast members to be paid for their time.

Abbey Humphreys is one of the first in the season to be pretty candid about her financial woes and need for a job, and when other castmates go on interviews, it's clear that these young adults definitely need to make money.

There's a good chance that the eight young singles cast for Twentysomethings: Austin get paid to be on the show. Although they aren't actors and they aren't contractually able to receive residual payments for future airings of the show, the Twentysomethings: Austin cast likely gets paid for their time.

Then, the only remaining question is how much the cast gets paid. The Jersey Shore cast members were each paid a $200 weekly gift card to the Shore Store in Season 1. By Season 6, however, the lowest amount reported to be paid to a Jersey Shore cast member was $40,000. We're not saying the Twentysomethings: Austin cast is anywhere close to that, but it's highly likely that they're somewhat compensated for the show.

During Season 1, Natalie Cabo and Bruce Stephenson have job interviews. Bruce explains that he lost his job during the pandemic and he wants to try and build a career in Austin. Natalie says her savings are drying up fast and she needs to find a way to make money.

There's a lot of emphasis put on making money in this series that you don't see in other reality shows like The Real World, or even in the early days of Jersey Shore or Floribama Shore.

Abbey also talks about her quickly depleting savings upon her move to Austin for Twentysomethings: Austin. She goes on a trial run as a bartender, but learns the following day that she wasn't given the full-time position.

She's unafraid to admit that she needs the money, though. Abbey explains that she was financially dependent on her husband, who she divorced not long before she was cast on the show.

The talk of money and finding work among the Twentysomethings: Austin cast is refreshing. It's something we usually don't see on other reality shows in a sea of drunken hookups and dramatic arguments, and it certainly leds some *reality* to the series.

Watch Season 1 of Twentysomethings: Austin on Netflix now.