Many people had never heard of Kiefer Sutherland until the TV series 24, though. The 54-year-old actor had appeared on Broadway and in a number of 1990s movies. Today, when fans of 24 and Sutherland himself hear his distinctive polished gravelly voice, they don’t even need to look up. They recognize him. Before the age of 24, Sutherland was making a solid income. But when the Fox TV series debuted in 2001, he started to receive an outrageous salary for his starring role as Jack Bauer.
The 24 television series was conceptualized by Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, with the idea that each episode uses one hour and each season is 24 hours long. The commander of a counterterrorism field unit is Bauer (Sutherland). In the first season, the team learns of a conspiracy to kill Dennis Haysbert’s character David Palmer, a presidential candidate and senator from Maryland.
On November 6, 2001, the show debuted—unfortunate timing given that 9/11 had happened just under two months earlier. It prompted a critical evaluation of the show’s debut. Other criticisms included the use of torture and abuse of power by the administration. In addition, others alleged that the program was racially offensive, according to Mother Jones. But 24 didn’t seem to be affected by any of that. 24 quickly became the most popular drama series of its time.
Sutherland was born in London, England, on December 21, 1966. He is the son of renowned actor Donald Sutherland, who is arguably best known in the United States for playing Hawkeye Pierce in the 1970 movie MAS*H, and his former wife, actress Shirley Douglas. Sutherland, who holds citizenship in both Canada and the United Kingdom, has a twin sister named Rachel who works as a TV post-production supervisor in that country.
How Much Money did Kiefer Sutherland Make on 24?
Sutherland received $250,000 for his performance in A Few Good Men. According to IMDb, he made $1.7 million for his role as Flan in The Three Musketeers a year later. Sutherland undoubtedly put in a lot of effort on the 24 set, and he received a generous salary in return. Sutherland made $550,000 per episode when it initially aired, totaling $13.2 million for the first season.
He was making $40 million every year by the show’s sixth season in 2008 and through its final season in 2010. He became the TV drama series’ highest-paid actor as a result. His current estimated net worth is $100 million. Sutherland has other jobs outside acting. He co-owns the record company Ironworks with his friend Jude Cole and performs in his own band. He worked in team roping competitions while traveling the rodeo circuit in the 1990s.
Sutherland has returned to television since the conclusion of 24. In the 2016 film Designated Survivor, he played the meek, mild-mannered US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who found himself taking the oath of office as president. The series lasted two years on ABC and was picked up for one additional season by Netflix. In 2020, Sutherland was cast as Detective Clay Bryce in an updated version of The Fugitive.
