NEW YORK People tend to assume that the original stars of Hamilton walked away from the groundbreaking musical with a hefty paycheck. After all, the average ticket price for their acclaimed show eventually hit well above $1,000. And everyone from President Barack Obama to Beyonc and Meryl Streep attended performances, beginning all the way back in 2015. It was, and still is, a phenomenon of a theater production.

In actuality, actor Anthony Ramos who originated the roles of statesman John Laurens and Hamiltons eldest son, Philip, in the Tony Awardwinning show said he and his co-stars made just enough money to cover their rent, bills and daily expenses.

On Broadway, we had to negotiate with our producers to share some [earnings]. That was an ongoing process, but everybody came to an agreement, he told HuffPost. But we didnt ... the show didnt financially make any of us rich. It provided for us and helped open doors to create other opportunities that helped us make money. But the show itself didnt necessarily change my life or most peoples lives in the cast [financially]. The checks we get after that long negotiation for profit share have helped us after.

Ramos didnt divulge exact salaries. The typical minimum salary for a Broadway star, he said, is around $1,800 a week, though people can reportedly negotiate up to $10,000 or even $20,000. Off-Broadway rates are anywhere between $300 and $1,000 a week, depending on the number of seats in a theater. Like in any other industry, Ramos believes success in the theater world hinges on an ability to fight for what you feel you deserve.

People dont take into consideration that you wont be in the show forever. Youre doing it eight times a week. You dont get paid when you get hurt. You have to earn every single dollar, he said. Plus, when you leave the show, you dont get any of that money. Thats it. You pay out your agent, your manager 10 percent, depending on what youre doing. After paying taxes, and after it all adds up, youre making good money, but youre making just enough to live in New York City.

At the end of the day, Ramos said he can only hope that the projects he takes on now create an opportunity to do something better that will hopefully pay you more and also be just as creatively fulfilling or more creatively fulfilling than the last thing. A lot of the times that doesnt happen. It can take people years to get another great job. This entertainment game is a gamble.