Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Get 400% Pay Increase in Season 2
America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders is officially back on Netflix for season 2, and we have one question: is the team finally making a livable wage? Answer: Yes! And it was extremely hard won.
Amid the DCC's low wages being exposed last season, the team entered this season and attempted to negotiate their contract together—an effort that was spearheaded by Jada, Amanda, Armani, Kleine, Marissa, and Megan. Unfortunately, the meeting (which wasn't on camera) with execs didn't go well. The team even briefly considered a walk-out, but their plans were leaked and they were unable to negotiate more money for the 2024 season.
However, Season 2 ended with some good news: Kelli told the dancers (specifically Jada, Armani, and Megan) that everyone was getting raises. Specifically, 400% percent raises. As Armani (who was retiring that year) put it, "I love the fact that I made change for the girls that are coming up behind me, even if I'm not getting a chance to benefit.
As a reminder: last season, former cheerleader Kat revealed that DCC paid her the same amount as a full-time Chick-fil-A worker (around $37,947).
Viewers were obviously shocked, especially when Dallas Cowboys owner and Chief Brand Officer, Charlotte Jones, straight up said "There's a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders—and as it should be. They're not paid a lot. But the facts are is that they actually don't come here for the money. They come here for something that's actually bigger than that to them. They have a passion for dance."
Assuming that aforementioned $37,949 is accurate, the team is now making somewhere around $151,000 with a 400% raise. Glad the DCC dancers are finally being paid a salary commensurate to their talent!
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I got the offer while I was filming the drama Mr. Sunshine. He told me the role would appear onscreen very briefly and would require only about a week's worth of work, so because of my relationship with the director, I agreed to do it. And that's how it started. Kim: I'm guessing that at the time, no one expected Squid Game to become such a massive hit, right? Lee: I think I received the script for the first six episodes initially. And after reading it, I thought it was very fresh, unique and fun. But at the same time, I also thought it might be too experimental. I thought it could either do extremely well or be received very poorly by audiences. It felt like a risky piece of work. But I don't think anyone—even the director—expected it to become such a globally beloved show and a huge sensation. Kim: Regarding the role of the Front Man, did the director specifically want a very famous actor like you for that part? 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For example, during the six-legged pentathlon game, when my character's cheering or feeling nervous along with the other players—it's all pretend, right? But the Front Man is someone who's experienced the depths of despair, so from his perspective, I wondered if someone like him—no matter how good an actor he may be—could really show that kind of pure joy, that kind of cheering. (L to R) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho, ... More Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Jo Yu-ri as Kim Jun-hee in 'Squid Game' S2 The director and I had differing opinions on such moments, and we spent a lot of time debating them. When I first acted those scenes, I took a very subtle approach. I just tried to blend in with the other players so I wouldn't stand out too much, because I have to come across as an ordinary person to the others and make them believe that I'm on their side and part of their team. So that's the kind of performance I aimed for initially. But then the director said, 'Could you show just a bit more?' So I tried adding a little more, but then told the director, 'I don't feel good acting like this—it feels weird.' But when I looked at the monitor, I thought, 'Okay, this is actually kind of fun.' So I eventually decided to just go with it—like maybe just as In-ho did in the past, I should enjoy it, too. Even though the Front Man has a bigger objective behind all this, I should allow myself to feel the tension when others feel tense and celebrate with my teammates when our team survives. To just have fun in that moment, as if I've been hypnotized. That's the mindset I adopted for those scenes. But finding the right balance was really difficult. The conversations I had the most with the director were about how much of these emotions—how much joy, sorrow and tension—I should express. And [figuring that out] was the hardest part for me. Lee Byung-hun as the Front Man in 'Squid Game' Kim: When the Front Man disguised himself as Oh Young-il and entered the games, do you think that he envied Gi-hun or maybe even wanted to be friends with him, even for a moment? Lee: Hmm... I never thought he wanted to be friends [with Gi-hun]. I think the emotions the Front Man felt while observing Gi-hun might have been something like this: They've both experienced a hellish period in their lives and have come out winners. I was a winner in the past. Gi-hun is also a winner. So he might have wondered, 'How could someone who went through the same thing as me end up with beliefs that are the complete opposite of mine?' Gi-hun still believes that these people aren't garbage, that there's still hope in humanity. I think maybe the Front Man could've felt a bit of jealousy watching Gi-hun be that way. 'I became this pessimistic person because of my experience, but why do you still have faith in humanity?' There's a bit of jealousy in that thought—like, I couldn't stay that way, but you did. But while playing the game together and pretending to be on the same team, maybe somewhere deep inside, there was a part of him that genuinely wished Gi-hun was right. 'Yeah, I still believe people are trash, but I really hope you're right. I hope human decency still exists in this world.' (L to R) Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: During the 'spinning top' game, your character—who is left-handed—deliberately throws the top with his right hand at first. But later he uses his left hand. Why did your character initially try to fail on purpose? Because he could've died too! Lee: Well, if you look at the Front Man's life, he's already become indifferent to death. I don't think living or dying is a big deal to him anymore. He's not someone who's desperately clinging to life. And maybe, in the worst-case scenario, the Front Man has a secret way out—something only he knows. (laughs) Kim: Really? But still, it was a game where he was grouped with other people. Lee: But even in a worst-case scenario, he could still have a hidden way to survive. When he purposely threw with his right hand—I actually asked the director about that, too. I asked, 'Where does this behavior come from?' And the director replied, 'In the end, wouldn't it just be for enjoyment?' Watching the clock and feeling the emotions of his fellow players as they come closer to death—it was a moment for him to really experience those feelings. He was creating a situation where they could truly think, 'I might actually die.' (L to R) Lee Seo-hwan as Park Jung-bae, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Lee Byung-hun as Oh Young-il, Lee ... More Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in 'Squid Game' S2 Kim: Later on, when Gi-hun leads a rebellion, the Front Man helps him and even kills many of the pink guards, although they're technically on his side. Why does he do that? Lee: Of course, I asked the director about that too. Why wouldn't I? I mean, I'm probably the actor who asks the most questions in the world. And even the director was at a loss. He was like, 'Hmm, you do have a point.' So in the end, we decided that the only guard he'd kill was the one who was struggling with Gi-hun and trying to shoot him. All the other shots were just for show—he fired them into the air on purpose. That's what we decided. So while it looks like he's aiming and shooting accurately, in reality, he's intentionally not hitting the other soldiers, with that one exception. As for sparing Gi-hun, whether he lives or dies doesn't matter to the Front Man. What matters is that Gi-hun reaches the same realization that the Front Man himself had. That's the Front Man's true goal. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: Participants and guests attend the Los Angeles Premiere & Fan ... More Event for Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2 at Los Angeles City College on December 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) Kim: You're a veteran actor who's starred in many Korean films and TV shows, and also appeared in some Hollywood movies. When you look at all your work collectively, what does Squid Game mean to you within the context of your career? Lee: I think it'll take time for me to really understand what Squid Game means to me or what kind of place it holds in my career. Because I'm still in the middle of it right now, it's hard for me to define what this show means to me. But what I can say is that it's been a very new experience for me. The success of Squid Game goes beyond breaking records or being a show that people like—it feels like a phenomenon or movement. And being right in the middle of that has given me so many new experiences. As you said, I've been acting for a very long time and have had many different experiences, but I've realized that there are still works out there that can make me feel something entirely new. When I first went to Los Angeles to promote Squid Game, there was this one event with about 2,000 Squid Game fans all wearing green tracksuits and standing outside a stadium and cheering. I've been part of various Hollywood projects before—not many, but a few—but I'd never seen anything like that. And to be welcomed like that for a Korean project—a work from my own country—was a deeply moving experience. I thought to myself, 'Wow, something like this is happening in my acting career. Maybe I'm working as an actor during a really significant moment in history.' This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Many thanks to Lee Byung-hun for taking the time to chat about Squid Game! Squid Game season 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27th.
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