Most actors will tell you that there’s not a lot of potential to make money in live theater. However, people assume that anyone with “name” value — like an actor who plays a Marvel Comics superhero on a hugely successful Netflix series — would have an easier time making money in theater than the average up-and-coming actor. As it turns out, Charlie Cox — who is finishing up his role in the Off-Broadway play Incognito on July 10 — tells the New York Daily News that he isn’t pocketing much money from his play, either.
Cox reveals that he will probably just about break even after Incognito closes. He explains, “I didn’t have the right visa and I really wanted to do the play, so I had to pay a visa adaptation fee, which is basically the same amount as the entire run.”
Of course, Cox realizes the reality of Off-Broadway theater — nobody does it to get rich. He says, “You don’t do a play to make money. It’s Off-Broadway. It’s not covering my rent and I’m in a fortunate situation where I’m on a television show and I know that we’re doing The Defenders, which is a spin-off of the show later this year. So I just keep the purse strings tighter during the run of the play.”
Cox, who starred in the movie Stardust and the TV series Boardwalk Empire before landing his Daredevil role, realizes he doesn’t have the A-list credentials to demand a large salary from producers. He says, “I’m not a big star so you can’t demand those huge paychecks when you sign on. I do fine, no complaints.”
Though perhaps as a shot at his current employer, he adds, “No residuals on Netflix of course so that’s … part of their brilliant business.”
