Selling Sunset's Emma Hernan Shares How the Cast Gets Paid

Heather Rae El Moussa Calls Filming Selling Sunset “Very Toxic” 

For the stars of Selling Sunset, airtime is everything.

In a discussion about how reality stars are paid, Emma Hernan revealed that she and her costars are paid per episode they appear in—and not per episode they film.

"For our show, we get paid per episode," she told Vivian Tu, aka "Your Rich BFF," on the April 29 episode of the Richer Lives by SoFi podcast. "If you make the episode, you get paid. If they cut you out of the episode, you don't get paid."

And that means there's some risks involved for the cast, according to Emma, who said getting started on the show "was so expensive."

"You have to pay for glam, styling and everything yourself," she explained. "Honestly, when I first joined the show, I was in the negative."

Emma emphasized that the show prioritizes physical appearance, saying she had to put in the effort in order to reap the rewards.

"Let's be honest, fashion is big on Selling Sunset, so you have to look nice," she said. "You're creating a brand."

She continued of her mindset, "I am putting my personal life out there, I need to make this worth it."