Dylan Sprouse, known for his role as Zack Martin in Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," revealed the meager earnings from the show's residual checks. During a reunion on his "Wildmen" podcast with co-star Phill Lewis, Sprouse shared that he received only one residual payment for the series, which ran from 2005 to 2008.
A Disappointing Payout
The single payment was for a 2006 crossover episode featuring "Hannah Montana." Sprouse stated that the check amounted to just five cents, an amount he described as not even enough to buy a cup of coffee. He expressed frustration, noting that despite the show's popularity, the residuals were "pitiful."
Lewis corroborated the show's success, mentioning it aired in "over 90 countries" and was frequently rewatched by children. Sprouse recalled an instance where the show's creator informed him that "The Suite Life" was outperforming "The Sopranos" in ratings, making the low residual income even more perplexing.
Contractual Anomalies
Lewis suggested that actors on Disney Channel shows often signed "bizarre contracts." He explained that the network would consider all episodes filmed within a year as a single season, even if the episode count exceeded a traditional season length. This allowed the network to avoid offering pay bumps that would typically accompany a new season.
Sprouse also commented on the show's perceived status within Disney Channel, suggesting it was treated as an "ugly duckling" and was "extremely underfunded" despite its popularity. The actor noted that this situation was unusual, especially for a show from the pre-streaming era.
Family Revelations
In addition to discussing his "Suite Life" earnings, Sprouse recently made headlines for a separate revelation on his podcast. He shared findings from a genealogy program that led him to claim that he and his twin brother, Cole Sprouse, are "children of incest." He explained that multiple sets of twins appeared across generations in their family history, with a peculiar detail about an aunt who was a twin that reportedly consumed her sibling in utero.
The Sprouse twins gained fame on "The Suite Life" before pursuing individual projects. Cole Sprouse previously stated on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast that he and Dylan were pushed into acting as children to provide financial stability for their family. Dylan Sprouse and his wife, Barbara Palvin, welcomed their daughter, Sylvie, in September 2023.