Brenda Song Recalls Fainting on Disney Set: 'Overworked and Underpaid'

By Elena Vasquez

Brenda Song says she fainted on the set of "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" while filming a hot tub scene in equipment co-star Dylan Sprouse said was heated to "250 degrees." Song, 36, made the disclosure on the "Wildmen" podcast hosted by Sprouse and Brendan Columbus.

Song said she felt "overworked" and "underpaid" during her years on the Disney Channel sitcom, which ran from 2005 to 2008.

What happened on set?

The collapse occurred during a scene that required a hot tub. The tub malfunctioned, according to Sprouse, who put its temperature at "250 degrees."

"I remember just breathing really heavy, and my chest felt really hot," Song said. "I just went, 'Am I having a panic attack?' And then all of a sudden I remember stars and gone."

The actress, now starring in Netflix's "Running Point," also said large stretches of her Disney years remain a blank. "I feel like there are parts of the 'Suite Life' that are, like, black holes for me," she told Sprouse. "Like, I don't remember years of my life."

What did Song say about pay?

On the subject of residuals, Song was direct. "I look at that time and I was like, we paid them," she said.

She balanced the criticism with acknowledgment of the opportunity. "I think the only thing that was hard about that time was I feel like we were underpaid and overworked," Song said. "But Disney did give us a platform to be sitting here right now. So it's very hard to complain about certain things."

She characterized her overall Disney tenure positively. "I always say, like, I have a boring tale… I had a lovely time," she said.

What did Dylan Sprouse reveal earlier?

Earlier this month, Sprouse said on his podcast that the show was "extremely underfunded" despite its popularity.

"In terms of the channel higher-ups, we were also kind of weirdly the ugly duckling," Sprouse said.

His residual payments were minimal. "The only residual check I've ever received for 'The Suite Life' at all was a crossover episode with 'Hannah Montana' for five cents," Sprouse said. "I'm not joking."

He added: "Imagine that. In a time where residuals would have been great. Not a single paycheck for being arguably one of the most popular shows."

How long did the franchise run?

"The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" aired for three seasons, from 2005 to 2008. The series followed twins Zack and Cody living at the Tipton Hotel with their single mother. Song played teenage heiress London Tipton.

The show spawned a spinoff, "The Suite Life on Deck," which ran from 2008 to 2011. Song, Debby Ryan and Erin Cardillo starred in the continuation.

The combined franchise spans six years of Disney Channel programming. Two of its lead actors have now said publicly that the compensation never matched the shows' popularity.