Under-five


An under-five, also known as an under-5 or a U/5, is a SAG-AFTRA contract term for an American television or film actor whose character has fewer than five lines of dialogue. This term has traditionally been used when referring to performers in a daytime soap opera.

SAG-AFTRA rules

An under-five role falls between an extra and a day player. Per SAG-AFTRA, for an under-five the total number of words in the five lines or less must be below 50. Exceeding this reclassifies the role as a full part, which constitutes a substantial rise in pay. An extra may be upgraded to under-five status if they interact with principals or are given direction in a way that furthers the plot.
Prior to the 2012 merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, actors performing as under-fives as members of AFTRA became eligible for SAG membership after one year. Post merger, actors performing with an under-five contract operate as members of the consolidated union.
Through November 16, 2016, the minimum pay rate for an under-five actor on a soap opera is $451 for a one-hour show, and $369 for a -hour show. By comparison, the minimum pay rate for a principal on a soap opera is $1,038 for a one-hour show, and $778 for a -hour show. The pay rate for a background actor on a soap opera is $150 for a 1-hour show, and $115 for a -hour show.

Under-five work

An under-five role can be a stepping stone to bigger roles. However, with the general decline of American soap operas, the number of under-fives, extras, and even day players employed has declined, due to reductions of production budgets.