Love on the Spectrum stars admit Netflix should pay the cast following shows huge success
'I think they could stand to pay us'
Love on the Spectrum stars Ruth and Thomas Wyndham, from the Australian version of the series, have admitted they think Netflix should be paying the cast for the show, following its huge success.
The couple originally appeared on the show before Netflix bought the rights to it, claiming that Netflix offered to pay the full costs of their wedding if they scheduled it to coincide with filming for the second season.
However, the pair felt uneasy with the offer, explaining that staging their wedding for the Netflix show felt too “Kardashian” and so decided not to show their wedding on Love on the Spectrum.
Ruth explained to The Guardian: “Filming it would have felt too structured, poised, out of my control, and in the hands of a corporation whom I didn’t want to share a big event with. There are some things in life that I don’t need to share with the whole world.”
When the third season of Love on the Spectrum released in April on Netflix, it ranked in the global top 10 for two weeks, leading to questions about why the cast members don’t get paid for their participation.
A spokesperson for Northern Picture responded to queries about pay, saying: “Love on the Spectrum is built on consent, collaboration, and respect. We have always covered participants’ expenses to ensure that no-one is financially disadvantaged for being involved.”
The producer of the American series of Love on the Spectrum also spoke about pay during an interview with Parade.
He confirmed that whilst none of the cast members are paid for being on the show, all of their dates and transportation are taken care of, commenting: “People aren’t left out of pocket by being part of the experience, that’s all I can say.”
A casting call from 2020 for Love on the Spectrum posted on Backstage also confirmed that cast members would not be paid.
It stated: “As we are a documentary series, we cannot pay for participation, but we do cover any meals and transport costs incurred. We work around people’s schedules to make it work.”
However, Thomas says the show started leaning more towards a reality TV perspective, explaining that the couple “lost interest after that.”
He stated: “And I think they’ve done a decent job of showing Ruth and my relationship. But I think the rest of the first season was sitting on the fence between a documentary series and a reality TV program and I think come season two, it definitely leaned heavily that way. We lost interest after that.”
Ruth added: “Celebrity culture is extremely toxic, and when you put people in the public eye who may be easier to manipulate without giving them some help or guidance to navigate all of this, it can be downright dangerous.”
She continued: “If [participants] choose to do the show, that’s their choice. The online abusers can frankly f*cking shove it.
“But in Australia, Love on the Spectrum was shown as a doco on free-to-air TV before Netflix bought it. Now that Netflix owns it, I think they could stand to pay us.”
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