Reality TV producers seemed to be testing the waters when The Valley premiered on Bravo in March 2024. The show follows former Vanderpump Rules stars Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright, and Kristen Doute as they navigate adulthood and attempt to leave their partying lifestyles behind, all while living in California’s San Fernando Valley. In addition to these well-known reality TV personalities, the series also introduces viewers to several new faces.
Season 1 of The Valley turned out to be a smash hit with TV viewers. Fans appreciated the cast’s vulnerability and their willingness to open up about issues in their romantic relationships and friendships. The season even captured the fallout of two marriages—Jax and Brittany’s included.
With Season 2 currently airing, fans are expecting even more drama from this friend group. In fact, the season got extended with more episodes and a reunion special. That also came with a nice bonus for the cast: a big pay raise they’re probably not mad about.
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The Valley’s Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute Received A “Significant Pay Bump” For Season 2
The Valley Season 2 premiered on April 15th and already pulled viewers in as it jumped straight into Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright’s separation and an intense fight between the two, one that ultimately led Jax to check himself into an inpatient facility for his mental health.
Ahead of the new season, both Brittany and Jax were candid in interviews about their rocky marriage and even tougher separation. Jax checked himself into a facility in July 2024 and has since committed to making life changes for the sake of their son, Cruz.
All of this publicity surrounding their marriage fallout, and a drama-filled Season 1 that included a second divorce between Jesse Lally and Michelle Saniei, helped turn The Valley into one of Bravo’s successful reality TV shows.
In addition, it also meant that the cast were getting a huge pay raise for sharing their intimate lives.
The Valley Season 2 Cast | Status |
|---|---|
Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor | Separated |
Jesse Lally and Michelle Saniei | Separated |
Jason Caperna and Janet Caperna | Married |
Danny Booko and Nia Booko | Married |
Jasmine Goode and Melissa Marie | Engaged |
Zack Wickham and Benji Quach | Dating |
According to The U.S. Sun, main cast members like Jax, Brittany, and Kristen Doute received a “significant pay bump” for Season 2. “After the show became such a smash hit, they’ve upped the budget for season 2 and every cast member has gotten a significant pay bump,” the source claimed.
These Vanderpump Rules alums were reportedly paid the most out of the entire cast. In Season 1, it was reported that Jax was paid upwards of $30,000 per episode. Meanwhile, Brittany and Kristen were paid “closer to 20/25k per episode.”
The first season of The Valley had 12 episodes. If Jax was making $30,000 per episode, that meant that he likely received $360,000 that season, making him the No. 1 guy in the group. Both Brittany and Kristen were reportedly paid $240,000 to $300,000.
“For season 2, every cast member’s pay was significantly increased,” the source said.
If Jax, Brittany, and Kristen received pay bumps for Season 2, it’s likely they could be making close to half a million dollars this season.
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What Do The Other The Valley Cast Members Receive Per Episode?
Including this major pay raise, the show was also given more episodes and a reunion special. The Valley Season 1 ended after 12 episodes and there was no reunion. “In addition to the big bump, they will also make more as they will film more episodes. This includes a proper reunion, which they did not get for season 1,” the source told The U.S. Sun.
“Bravo was testing out the waters with its first season – which is why they didn’t even approve a season 1 reunion. After the show became such a smash hit, they’ve upped the budget for season 2 and every cast member has gotten a significant pay bump,” they added.
Vanderpump Rules stars in Season 2 of The Valley | Seasons on VPR |
|---|---|
Jax Taylor (Main) | 1-8 |
Brittany Cartwright (Main) | 1-8 |
Kristen Doute (Main) | 1-8 |
Scheana Shay (Guest) | 1-11 |
Brock Davies (Guest) | 9-11 |
Lala Kent (Guest) | 4-11 |
Tom Schwartz (Guest) | 1-11 |
Besides former VPR stars Jax, Brittany and Kristen, the show also heavily focuses on Jesse and Michelle, a former married couple who separated after the first season wrapped up. Couples Danny and Nia Booko and Janet and Jason Caperna also star in the show with Season 2 hinting as marital issues for both pairs. Additionally, Season 1 welcomed Jasmine Goode and Zack Wickham as “friends of” the cast.
According to the source, these cast members likely received far less than Jax, Brittany and Kristen for the first season. “And the newer full-time cast got $5-10k per episode depending on how much they filmed,” the source shared. However, they have reportedly also gotten a bump in pay now. Additionally, both Jasmine and Zack were both upgraded from friends to main cast members, which means that they likely receive more money as well.
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Who Is The Richest The Valley Cast Member?
It’s really no surprise that Jax Taylor would come out on top when it comes to who is the richest cast member on The Valley. Now that the cast have received a “significant pay bump” for Season 2, Jax could be making anywhere near $400,00-$500,000. However, he could be making even more depending on how many episodes we get of the show.
Reports suggest that Jax has a net worth of $4 million. It could be said that a majority of those earnings come from starring on reality TV for several years. From 2013 to 2020, Jax appeared on Vanderpump Rules and worked as a bartender at Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR restaurant in West Hollywood. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the cast were “barely netting $10,000” for the first season. However, after negotiations, they allegedly received $25,000 per episode in 2017 and 2018.
When Jax began dating Brittany, they landed their own spinoff called Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky, which premiered in 2017. Although it only lasted six episodes, they surely received a nice check. In addition, Jax starred in Season 1’s House of Villains.
Jax is also making money with several brand deals and co-hosted his and Brittany’s joint podcast, When Reality Hits. After their separation in 2024, Jax began recording separate podcast episodes under the title, Mind of A Man. He’s since launched his own podcast under the same name, and he is set to go on a U.S. tour.
Let’s also not forget that Jax is a bar owner. He and Brittany opened Jax’s Studio City in October 2023, and it has been heavily featured on The Valley.
Fans can tune into a new episode of The Valley every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Stream episodes the next day on Peacock.
