From Four to Five Figures: Reza Farahan Reveals Shahs of Sunset Salary Transformation

Reza Farahan, a former cast member of Shahs of Sunset, has released a memoir titled "Memoirs of a Gay Shah: My Story of Family, Fame, and Becoming a King." In the book, he reveals details about the early days of the show, including the modest paychecks they received in Season 1.

According to Reza, the cast members were earning four figures per episode, a sum that did not reflect their growing popularity. He described how Bravo tried to control the cast's perception of their value and keep them from asking for more money.

Despite the low pay, Reza felt pressured to maintain an extravagant lifestyle on the show. He mentioned buying expensive items like Louboutins, even though his earnings from the show were insufficient to cover such luxuries.

Reza also criticized the production quality of the early seasons of Shahs of Sunset, recalling shooting confessional interviews in a storage closet and having the camera person double as a makeup artist.

Changes came ahead of Season 3 when Bravo offered a pay raise that led to the cast negotiating a new contract. Their per-episode salary increased significantly, marking a positive turn in their earnings from the show.

Reza now stars in a new series, The Valley: Persian Style, after a hiatus from Shahs of Sunset. It is unclear whether he had to renegotiate his contract for the new show or if his earnings remain in the four-digit range.