Ray Romano showcased his knowledge and philanthropy on a 2000 episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, where he secured $125,000 for the NYPD’s D.A.R.E. unit.Romano has played one of the main characters in the Ice Age franchise since its inception in 2002. He lent his voice to Manny the Mammoth throughout all five installments. Some reports estimated that Romano’s earnings for the initial Ice Age film amounted to $5 million.
However, in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Romano reflected on the impact of his huge salary from Everybody Loves Raymond on his career. After the show concluded, Romano faced challenges with securing new TV gigs, especially in dramas, as his agent aimed to maintain his peak salary level.
Richards faced major backlash for a foul rant and was canceled long before celeb cancellations were the norm, despite his apology.
Romano reached out to Jason Katims during his struggle to break into television. He told Katims his interest in the show Parenthood and, despite initially being told they couldn’t afford him, Romano accepted a role on the show for considerably less pay than in his Everybody Loves Raymond days. Romano told The Hollywood Reporter:
“… I got three seasons of Parenthood, and it got people to see me differently… It’s opening up a little, though. I’m not just getting comedic things and broad things. I think I’ve aged into this area where now I’m playing the father of the 30-year-old… A little bit more is coming my way than 10 years ago. But I’m kind of accepting that if a great role comes along, it’s not necessarily going to be the lead. And that’s OK. I’ll write my own movie for that. We’re trying to write another one now.”
Romano emphasized that not worrying about money after Everybody Loves Raymond allowed him to take on diverse roles. His sitcom success provided financial stability, enabling him to explore less lucrative but artistically rewarding projects like HBO’s Vinyl, The Big Sick, and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.
