Many of us have no doubt tuned into our favourite shows and wondered what it'd be like to be an extra on set. It sounds like the absolute dream, hanging out with our favourite stars and mingling around in the background of a scene reacting to every piece of drama that plays out. However, how much do you actually get paid for the work? Well, Courtney Cash, who appeared as an extra in Hollyoaks back in June, has spoken about her experience and the strict rule that she had to adhere to which cost her more money.
The budding actress played a paramedic called to the scene when Grace Black (Tamara Wall) was discovered unconscious by her sister, Clare Devine-Banks (Gemma Bissix). During the scene, Courtney spoke 12 words, those being: "Can you hear me, Grace? Grace? She's alive. She needs hospital now." In a TikTok video, Courtney responded to a fan who asked how much she was paid, and she said: "So basically, it all depends on how many words you say in a soap.
"I think the maximum for Hollyoaks is 13 words before you become cast, and if you become cast, you get paid a lot more. They wanted to avoid that, so I was capped at 13 words. All in all, I got paid about £350 to £400 for that one single scene, one filming day. I would have got paid more if I just had that one extra word."
© Channel 4As a result of sticking to the 12 words, Courtney wasn't credited with the rest of the cast when the show aired her episode. Speaking more about the audition process, she revealed that her agent had put her forward for the role and she had to send in an audition tape. Courtney also said that the scene that she filmed was the "last scene of the day".
