Dylan Sprouse recently confirmed he received only a single residual check for his time on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and the amount was just reportedly five cents. He shared this information while hosting his podcast, Wildmen, alongside his former co-star Phill Lewis. Lewis played the iconic Mr. Moseby on the hit show, and the pair spent time catching up during this latest episode.
As reported by Unilad, many people assume that actors who work on successful television projects continue to collect money for years after the episodes air. Dylan and his brother Cole spent their childhoods filming the series, and it remained a hit for a long time. Dylan explained he wanted to talk about finances and the reality of residual payments during his conversation with Lewis.
“I don’t ever think I’ve said this on an interview, but the only residual check I’ve ever received for The Suite Life, at all, was for a crossover episode with Hannah Montana… for five cents. I’m not joking,” Dylan said.
He says the lack of payments feels strange
He noted that the lack of payments feels especially strange given how popular the show was during its run. The network aired episodes constantly, often playing two at a time on a Tuesday. Dylan mentioned that the show aired four or five times a night because children kept rewatching the episodes. He pointed out that it was frustrating to see the show perform so well without seeing any financial return from those constant airings.
“So, imagine that. In a time where residuals would have been great… not a single pay cheque for being arguably being one of the most popular shows on television,” he added. Dylan also pointed out that streaming services did not exist when the show was in production. Viewers were limited to a specific number of channels, and Disney Channel created a space where parents felt safe leaving their kids to watch television.
The channel prided itself on being a place without advertisements or crossover content that might not be suitable for the age group. Because of that approach, the show reached a massive audience across the United States and the rest of the world.
Published: Nov 5, 2026 06:15 pm