Christy Carlson Romano Claims She Was Paid Half of Shia LaBeouf's Salary on 'Even Stevens'

Christy Carlson Romano, who starred alongside Shia LaBeouf in the Disney Channel sitcom 'Even Stevens,' has publicly stated that she received half of LaBeouf's salary during the show's run from 2000 to 2003. Romano played Ren Stevens, the older sister, while LaBeouf portrayed Louis Stevens, the younger brother.

Romano shared this assertion on Instagram, accompanied by a letter her mother, Sharon, purportedly wrote to her agent in September 2000. According to the letter, Romano was making $6,000 per episode, while LaBeouf earned $12,000. Romano clarified that she believed LaBeouf "earned every dollar" of his wage but noted her family was "deeply in debt" at the time, and her earnings were crucial for household expenses.

"My mom was fighting for me, and she was also fighting for a household that depended on a teenage girl," Romano wrote in her caption. "It took me years to understand I could love her for advocating for me and still wish I had gotten to just be a kid."

Sharon's letter outlined several requests to the agent, with the first being pay parity between Romano and LaBeouf. The letter also highlighted that 30 percent of Romano's salary had to be placed in a Coogan Account, a legal requirement for child actors' earnings, which made it difficult for the family to manage financially. Sharon's points also included concerns about Romano's lines being reduced and the show's narrative consistently focusing on LaBeouf's character.

Additionally, Sharon requested that Romano be provided with a separate tutor, as she was a junior in high school while her co-stars were freshmen. The letter also addressed an unscheduled eight-week hiatus that significantly impacted the family's finances, leading them into debt. A final request was for Romano to be cast in Disney Channel movies, a goal that was later realized when she co-starred with Hilary Duff in "Cadet Kelly" in 2002.

Romano discussed these allegations in her memoir, "Once Upon a Trainwreck: The Rise and Fall of a Child Star," published on October 6. In her Instagram post, she emphasized that her book is not about LaBeouf or other famous names but about her own experience growing up quickly in the entertainment business and the financial pressures her family faced.