THR's Annual Drama Actress Roundtable: 7 Actress Revealed 'How They Spent Their First Pay Check'

The wonderful moments of those successful actresses who got their first paycheck. In a discussion with The Hollywood Reporter seven of television's top actresses who gathered for the 2016 Drama Actress Roundtable shared their 'wow' moments:

Jennifer Lopez, (NBC's Shades of Blue) I was driving a Honda hatchback that Keenen Ivory Wayans had given me when I moved out here when I was a Fly Girl [dancer on In Living Color]. And I had been driving it to every audition. And when I got, I think it was a regular series, I bought a car - a Mercedes. And it was a huge deal, though I was signing the lease to the car and breaking up with my boyfriend the same week. We were in the dealership and I was crying.

Sarah Paulson (FX's American Horror Story and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story) I bought a lot of stuff at the Gap because I was 19. I was still living at home and I was understudying Amy Ryan on Broadway in The Sisters Rosensweig and my check was substantial. I had never had a job before, ever, anywhere. I was a waitress for two seconds but I couldn't spell "parmesan" and I quit, promptly. So, I got a big, big weekly check from understudying and I went to the Gap, like every day. And I would give Gap presents to all my friends. That and there were some flaming Dr. Pepper drinks down on 11th Street and Third Avenue. That was my big splurge. I should have gotten a car!

Constance Zimmer (Lifetime's Unreal) I bought an eight-person dining room table, which I still have.

Paulson Were you married? Did you have kids?

Zimmer No. No. I don't know why [I bought it], but I still have that table. I refuse to get rid of it because every time I look at it I remember that was a big deal, like, "I can buy an eight-person dining room table with acting." So, I have had it for over 20 years - I don't even know if the style works with this house. And by the way, I don't think I've splurged on anything else since.

Kerry Washington (ABC's Scandal and HBO's Confirmation) This is so Bronx girl of me. My first movie was a crazy guerilla filmmaking, independent movie, so our transpo department was a Metrocard. Save the Last Dance was my second movie, and we had a per diem. I couldn't believe somebody was handing me cash and I literally used to hide it under my mattress for the whole movie. I put myself on a tight budget of what I could spend. And at the end of it, I used all the cash from the three months and bought my first laptop.

Regina King (ABC's American Crime and HBO's Leftovers) I bought a car. I was 16 ...

Julianna Margulies (CBS' The Good Wife) I got my first movie and they flew me out to L.A. and I remember thinking, "If they had just told me it was a first-class ticket I would have traded it in and gotten cash" because I was so broke. So I got to L.A. and at the hotel was a wad of cash, per diem, for the two weeks that I was going to be there. And I had hair down to here [points to waist], and my heart started pounding and I ran to the drugstore and I got Flex conditioner. I'm dating myself now, but Flex shampoo and conditioner were a [big deal] at that time. I was 22, and I just I remember sitting there in the hotel room with the conditioner on my hair for hours.

Kirsten Dunst (FX's Fargo) I started acting so young, all my money just went into a college fund. And then I probably bought my mom a house.

Washington And all of our parents are now jealous.