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When Friday Night Lights debuted on NBC in 2006, it wasn't to any glowing ratings. But critical acclaim and a small but dedicated audience kept the show alive for five seasons.
But the faithful who did tune into the show, based on the movie of the same name that starred Billy Bob Thornton in 2004, was transfixed by its docudrama format, crisp writing and slow-burn approach to circumstances faced by the characters. Shot in Austin, Texas, the show involved the small town of Dillon and its unwavering obsession over the local high school football team, the Panthers. The team's coach, Eric Taylor, often struggled to keep a tight rein on the team, distracted by all the community attention and their challenges with adolescent life.
After its run, many members of the originally unknown cast credit FNF as a critical career catalyst. Here's a look at 10 of the actors who most benefited from being in the series, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
BRAD LELAND - $1 MILLION
When Leland landed the role of town and sports booster John Aubrey in the movie version of FNL, he was a natural. So convincing was his portrayal, he was asked to come on board for the TV show to do the same bit, this time as Buddy Garrity.
His secret? Leland played on a championship football team during his high school days, so he experienced that pandemonium firsthand. Choosing to do all his acting in Texas, he also had roles on Walker: Texas Ranger and his first gig, the original Dallas.
MINKA KELLY - $5 MILLION
Lyla Garrity, played by Minka Kelly, is a chief cheerleader who dated the NFL-bound star quarterback. But her American Dream crashed in the pilot episode when her boyfriend suffered a career-ending injury at a homecoming game, kicking off a story arc that would see her try to pick up the pieces of a destroyed future.
Kelly's own life could have been just as unstable had it not been for FNL. The daughter of an exotic dancer and a session guitarist who left when she was very young has since managed to get stints on Parenthood and Almost Human, and a starring role on the streaming superhero series Titans.
ZACH GILFORD - $6 MILLION
Imagine having to step up when your team loses its most valuable player. That was the scary territory Gildford, playing diffident quarterback Matt Saracen, had to explore in the FNL pilot. Much like his character, Gildford also had to rise to the occasion, considering his career at the time was little more than bit parts.
Forays into other series like Good Girls and Lifeline haven't been as lucrative, but Gildford appreciated the range of roles he's been offered to get away from the apple-pie image of Saracen. That includes playing what he called a drunken black sheep in The Family.
AIMEE TEEGARDEN - $6 MILLION
Before Teegarden scored her first big role as Julie, the restless daughter of Eric and Tami Taylor, she turned a few heads in shows like Beverly Hills 90210 and Hannah Montana. But she knew how to take on a major story arc, such as creating more tension in the Taylor household by falling for quarterback Matt Saracen.
Subsequent roles have been relatively more low-key, such as parts in short-run series like Aim High and Notorious. She's also taken a more horror-oriented path, getting roles in Rings, Scream 4 as well as the forthcoming Guest House.
JESSE PLEMONS - $8 MILLION
When fans first saw Plemons play Landry Clarke, they originally dismissed him as a character simply added for comic relief. It wasn't until the start of the second season when the misfit shocked audiences by killing a man threatening his high school crush.
"We had to find ways to keep it interesting and to sort of catch someone off guard," said Plemons about the plot twist, one of many in the series. "And I think that’s the ideal scenario."
Fast forward to Breaking Bad, with Plemons going full throttle as a sadistic jailer, a character that would resurface on the show's Netflix spin-off, El Camino. Or the introverted computer genius who exploits his co-workers in "U.S.S. Callister" from the sci-fi shocker Black Mirror. For sure, he's come a long away from playing a lovable high-school goof with a dark edge.
CONNIE BRITTON - $8 MILLION
Playing a coach's wife was an easy task for Britton, who had an identical role in the movie version of FNL. But she was determined to have her Tami Taylor character be more empowering, which resulted in her starting the first season as a guidance counselor, eventually getting promoted to the high school principal.
Britton's enjoyed a high-profile career ever since, have since played a singer past her prime in Nashville, as well as more intense work in shows like Dirty John and American Horror Story. But that empowerment theme still runs through her resume, given her recent stints in Bombshell and the forthcoming Promising Young Woman.
KYLE CHANDLER - $9 MILLION
In drama-filled Dillon, the steadiest hand on the rudder had to belong to Eric Taylor, coach of the Panthers, and later the rival upstart East Dillon Lions. Chandler played the tough, ethical coach with straight-arrow finesse, a credit to his acting discipline over the years.
After a few short-lived series early on, Chandler played a bomb squad detective in a recurring role in Grey's Anatomy before jumping to FNL. More recent acting gigs include playing a no-nonsense federal officer in The Wolf Of Wall Street, a detective in the series Bloodlines, and an ambitious colonel in the mini-series Catch-22.
Despite his starring role on FNL, Chandler has yet to do the same in a movie. “I’ve never been a lead in a film," he remarked, "so I don’t know what that would be like."
TAYLOR KITSCH $12 MILLION
Kitsch looks like a Lone Star next-generation Good Ol' Boy, given his character's rugged looks, tough demeanor and liking for beer. Kitsch now lives in Austin, but credit that toughness to years of hockey he played in his native Canada.
An on-ice injury pushed him into acting, and he landed high-energy portrayals in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Snakes On A Plane before the Riggins role came calling. After the series ended, he got work as a gung-ho navy officer in Battleship and leads in HBO's True Detective and the mini-series Waco.
For all the fame Kitsch received from playing the troubled high school running back, he's declared he'll never play Riggins again, even though a show reunion is in the works.
MICHAEL B. JORDAN - $12 MILLION
Jordan, who's since discovered superstardom playing the central villain in Marvel's Black Panther, didn't show up until the final season of FNL, but it was a whirlwind experience for him. Briefly seen in The Sopranos and The Wire, his portrayal of flamboyant East Dillon quarterback Vince Howard turned out to be such a pivotal launching pad, he's bucking for a reunion.
"It'll be cool to get together with the Dillon Panthers and the East Dillon Lions and just kind of see that," Jordan said. "That'll be pretty cool."
Problem is, Jordan ꟷ slated to also do a third Creed outing and a Black Panther followup penciled in for 2022 ꟷ is in such high demand these days, would producers be able to fork over the big bucks to see it happen?
BLUE DECKERT - $27 MILLION
Blue Deckert played combative Panthers offensive coordinator Mac MacGill, who lost out in the head coaching job hunt to Taylor and frequently becomes a thorn in his boss's side. But Deckert's a real-life winner in the payroll department, outpacing some better-known FNL alums in earnings.
How did he do it? Simple. He's been around a lot longer. Some of his co-stars weren't even born when Deckert landed his first role in 1983 in the TV movie Bill: On His Own. He scored major roles in subsequent outings like The Rookie, Michael, and The Stepfather. After stints in Grey's Anatomy and The Mentalist, he retired in 2014 to enjoy the riches he socked away.