Christy Carlson Romano Says She Was Paid Half of Shia LaBeouf’s Salary on ‘Even Stevens’
Christy Carlson Romano says she was paid half as much as Shia LaBeouf while they co-led Disney’s Even Stevens, despite having the same screen time. Her account draws attention to pay inequality and the financial pressures Romano says her family faced while she was a child actor.
In a social media post after her memoir’s 6 October release, Romano shared a 2000 letter her mother sent to her agent asking for equal pay and describing the household’s debts. Romano said her earnings helped keep the family afloat, while reflecting that she wishes she could have had more time simply to be a child. Even Stevens ran for three seasons, from 2000 to 2003.
- Romano says she earned half of LaBeouf’s salary.
- Her mother sought equal pay in a 2000 letter.
- Romano says her wages helped support her family.
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Even Stevens was a Disney Channel comedy about siblings Louis and Ren Stevens, played by Shia LaBeouf and Christy Carlson Romano. The series ran for three seasons from 2000 to 2003, with both actors central to the show.
Child actors’ pay is usually negotiated by their agents and families, and earnings can contribute to household costs. Romano has said her family faced debts while she was working, raising questions about how young performers are paid and how much responsibility they may carry at home.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Romano’s account raises a fair concern that co-leads doing comparable work should receive comparable pay, especially when one was a child whose earnings helped support her family. The letter also suggests her mother sought to address the disparity at the time, and Romano’s reflections invite scrutiny of how young performers are protected and compensated.
The case against
A salary difference alone does not establish unfair treatment: pay can reflect negotiated contracts, experience, perceived audience appeal or other factors, and the story gives no account from the studio or LaBeouf. Without fuller context about their agreements and roles, it is reasonable to treat the comparison as a serious question rather than proof that the pay gap had no defensible basis.