Misplaced Pages

List of highest-paid film actors

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
(Redirected from List of highest paid film actors)

While the highest-paid film actors can command multi-million-dollar salaries, actors can potentially earn substantially more by deferring all or part of their salary against a percentage of the film's gross, known within the industry as a "profit participation" deal.

Highest earnings for a single production

Since not all salaries are made public, this is a non-definitive list of actors who have received $30 million or more as compensation for their services in a single production. Occasionally an actor's fee may cover multiple films, and they are included on the list if the films were filmed as a back-to-back production (for example, Keanu Reeves and the Matrix sequels). The figures are given at their nominal value, since earnings from profit-based deals are accumulated over many years, making it unfeasible to adjust for inflation.

Keanu Reeves earned a record $156 million for the first two Matrix sequels, filmed back-to-back.
Tom Cruise has earned in excess of $100 million per film on three occasions.
Sandra Bullock is the highest-paid actress, earning over $70 million for Gravity.

Forbes publishes yearly lists of the highest-paid actors and actresses based on total earnings from 1 June the previous year to 1 June the current year.

Highest-earning actors for a single production
Actor Film Year Salary Total income Ref.
Keanu Reeves The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions 		2003 $30,000,000 $156,000,000
Bruce Willis The Sixth Sense 1999 $14,000,000 $100,000,000
Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible 2 2000 $100,000,000
Tom Cruise War of the Worlds 2005 $100,000,000
Will Smith Men in Black 3 2012 $100,000,000
Tom Cruise Top Gun: Maverick 2022 $12,500,000 $100,000,000
Alec Guinness Star Wars 1977 $150,000 $95,000,000
Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Infinity War 2018 $75,000,000+
Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man 3 2013 $75,000,000
Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Endgame 2019 $20,000,000 $75,000,000
Sandra Bullock Gravity 2013 $20,000,000 $70,000,000+
Tom Hanks Forrest Gump 1994 $70,000,000
Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible 1996 $70,000,000
Harrison Ford Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 $65,000,000
Jack Nicholson Batman 1989 $6,000,000 $60,000,000
Leonardo DiCaprio Inception 2010 $59,000,000
Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2011 $35,000,000 $55,000,000
Jackie Chan Rush Hour 3 2007 $15,000,000 $53,700,000
Robert Downey Jr. The Avengers 2012 $50,000,000
Margot Robbie Barbie 2023 $12,500,000 $50,000,000
Cameron Diaz Bad Teacher 2011 $42,000,000
Robert Downey Jr. Captain America: Civil War 2016 $40,000,000 $40,000,000+
Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic 1997 $40,000,000
Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan 1998 $40,000,000
Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland 2010 $40,000,000
Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015 $40,000,000
Will Smith King Richard 2021 $40,000,000 $40,000,000
Denzel Washington The Little Things 2021 $40,000,000
Aamir Khan Dangal 2016 $39,000,000
Jim Carrey Yes Man 2008 $35,000,000
Will Smith Emancipation 2021 $35,000,000 $35,000,000
Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 2003 $29,250,000 $30,000,000+
Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon 4 1998 $30,000,000 $30,000,000
Brad Pitt Ocean's Eleven 2001 $10,000,000 $30,000,000
Leonardo DiCaprio Don't Look Up 2021 $30,000,000 $30,000,000
Leonardo DiCaprio Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 $30,000,000 $30,000,000
  1. ₹257 crore ($39.4 million at 2017 exchange rates).
  2. Arnold Schwarzenegger received a $29,250,000 salary for Terminator 3 plus a 20% royalty on the worldwide box office gross over $380 million. The film ultimately had a global gross of $433 million.

Highest annual earnings

Sylvester Stallone was the highest-paid actor in 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1995.
Dwayne Johnson was the highest-paid actor in 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Julia Roberts was the highest-paid actress in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

Forbes publishes yearly lists of the highest-paid actors and actresses based on total earnings from 1 June the previous year to 1 June the current year.

Annual highest-paid actor and actress
Year Actor Earnings Actress Earnings Ref.
1987 Sylvester Stallone $74 million Jane Fonda $13 million
1988 Sylvester Stallone $63 million — —
1989 Eddie Murphy $60 million — —
1990 Sylvester Stallone $63 million — —
1991 Kevin Costner $59 million — —
1992 Kevin Costner $71 million — —
1993 Kevin Costner $48 million — —
1994 Harrison Ford $44 million — —
1995 Sylvester Stallone $58 million Roseanne Barr $32 million
1996 Arnold Schwarzenegger $74 million Roseanne Barr $40 million
1997 Tom Cruise $82 million Roseanne Barr $55 million
1998 Harrison Ford $58 million Julia Roberts $28 million
1999 Tom Hanks $71.5 million Julia Roberts $50 million
2000 Bruce Willis $70 million Julia Roberts $18.9 million
2002 Adam Sandler $47 million Cameron Diaz $40 million
2003 Will Smith $60 million Jennifer Aniston $35 million
2004 Jim Carrey $66 million Cameron Diaz $32 million
2005 Will Ferrell $40 million Drew Barrymore $22 million
2006 Tom Cruise $67 million Jodie Foster $27 million
2007 Johnny Depp $92 million Nicole Kidman $28 million
2008 Johnny Depp $72 million Cameron Diaz $50 million
2009 Harrison Ford $65 million Angelina Jolie $27 million
2010 Johnny Depp $75 million Sandra Bullock $56 million
2011 Leonardo DiCaprio $77 million Angelina Jolie $30 million
2012 Tom Cruise $75 million Kristen Stewart $34.5 million
2013 Robert Downey Jr. $75 million Angelina Jolie $33 million
2014 Robert Downey Jr. $75 million Sandra Bullock $51 million
2015 Robert Downey Jr. $80 million Jennifer Lawrence $52 million
2016 Dwayne Johnson $64.5 million Jennifer Lawrence $46 million
2017 Mark Wahlberg $68 million Emma Stone $26 million
2018 George Clooney $239 million Scarlett Johansson $40.5 million
2019 Dwayne Johnson $89.4 million Scarlett Johansson $56 million
2020 Dwayne Johnson $87.5 million Sofía Vergara $43 million
2021 Dwayne Johnson $270 million Reese Witherspoon $115 million
2022 Tyler Perry $175 million — —
2023 Adam Sandler $97 million Margot Robbie $78 million
  1. George Clooney's 2018 earnings are mainly from the June 2017 sale of Casamigos tequila.

See also

References

  1. ^ Block, Alex Ben; Wilson, Lucy Autrey, eds. (2010). George Lucas's Blockbusting: A Decade-By-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success. HarperCollins. pp. 616–617, 714–715, 824–825 & 832. ISBN 9780061778896.
  2. Masters, Kim (5 June 2013). "Will Smith's 'After Earth' Apocalypse: Who Loses Most". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  3. Voytko, Lisette (1 June 2022). "'Top Gun: Maverick' Puts Tom Cruise On Track To Best Will Smith's Record Hollywood Payday". Forbes. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  4. Lang, Brent (20 July 2022). "Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for 'Joker 2,' Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  5. Abramovitch, Seth (27 May 2022). "Hollywood Flashback: Alec Guinness Struck Gold With 'Star Wars' 45 Years Ago". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  6. Borys, Kit (30 April 2019). "Robert Downey Jr.'s Massive Payday Tops 'Avengers: Endgame' Star Deals". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  7. ^ Graser, Mark (13 October 2014). "Robert Downey Jr. to Join 'Captain America 3' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  8. Shaf, Zack (10 July 2019). "'Avengers: Endgame' Box Office Earns Robert Downey Jr. Additional $55 Million Payday". IndieWire. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  9. Galloway, Stephen (26 February 2014). "Sandra Bullock to Make $70 Million (At Least) for 'Gravity' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  10. Pomerantz, Dorothy (10 June 2009). "Hollywood's Top-Earning Actors". Forbes. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013.
  11. Thompson, Peter A. (1997). Jack Nicholson: the life and times of an actor on the edge. Carol Publishing Group. p. 214. ISBN 9781559724203. By 1994, it had reportedly reached $60 million.
  12. ^ Newcomb, Peter (March 2011). "Hollywood's Top 40". Vanity Fair. p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 May 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  13. Sylt, Christian (22 July 2014). "Fourth Pirates Of The Caribbean Is Most Expensive Movie Ever With Costs Of $410 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 7 December 2014. One of the biggest costs of making On Stranger Tides was paying the production staff and actors with Mr Depp alone believed to have received $55 million for the movie.
  14. Pooley, Jack (7 July 2021). "Jackie Chan Demanded $15 Million, 15% Of The Box Office & Overseas Distribution Rights - Rush Hour 3". WhatCulture. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  15. Heath, Chris (April 2013). "Profile: Robert Downey Jr". GQ. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  16. Gearan, Hannah (August 2023). "Margot Robbie's Massive Barbie Payday Revealed As Movie Continues Box Office Dominance". Screen Rant. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  17. Kilday, Gregg (20 June 2013). "Sequel to Cameron Diaz's 'Bad Teacher' in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  18. West, Amy (9 November 2015). "Avengers Age Of Ultron salaries: Scarlett Johansson second highest earner after Robert Downey Jr". International Business Times. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  19. Lattanzio, Ryan (6 November 2021). "Will Smith Gave Money to 'King Richard' Co-Stars After Warners Shifted to Day-and-Date". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  20. ^ Donnelly, Matt (18 August 2021). "From Daniel Craig to Dwayne Johnson, Inside the Biggest Movie Stars' Salaries". Variety. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  21. "Field Listings – Exchange Rates". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018.
  22. Upadhyaya, Prakash (6 July 2017). "Aamir Khan's remuneration for Dangal: This is the amount the actor takes home after China release". International Business Times. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  23. "Dangal brings Rs 257 crore Chinese bonanza for Aamir Khan". Hindustan Times. 7 July 2017.
  24. Schuker, Lauren E. (2 April 2009), "Hollywood Squeezes Stars' Pay in Slump", The Wall Street Journal
  25. ^ Lang, Brent; Donnelly, Matt; Rubin, Rebecca (20 July 2022). "Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for Joker 2, Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More". Variety. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  26. Winship, Frederick M. (September 6, 1987). "Bill Cosby tops list of highest paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  27. "Michael Jackson tops list of best-paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). September 18, 1988. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  28. "Michael Jackson tops Forbes's 'richest stars' list again". United Press International (UPI). September 16, 1989. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  29. "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With PM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press. September 17, 1990. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  30. "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press. September 15, 1991. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  31. "Forbes Magazine's 40 Richest Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press. September 13, 1992. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  32. "Talking Pays Big, Puts Oprah at Top of Earnings List". September 13, 1993. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  33. "Spielberg Is Top-Paid Entertaier; Syrupy Barney Rings in at No. 3". Deseret News. September 12, 1994. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
  34. "Beatles In The Money Again, Forbes Says Band Earned Third Most Money, Behind Steven Spielberg, Oprah | The Spokesman-Review". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  35. "TOP 40 (money makers for 95-96)". Racine Journal Times. September 9, 1996. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  36. "In the money". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  37. "Seinfeld show a hit; yada, yada, yada ..." New Bedford Standard-Times. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  38. "'STAR WARS' PUTS LUCAS ATOP FORBES' CELEBRITY EARNINGS". Chicago Tribune. 2000-03-03. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  39. "Cruise tops star power list". 2001-03-02. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  40. "Forbes: Forbes Celebrity 100". Forbes. February 16, 2006. Archived from the original on February 16, 2006.
  41. "Forbes.com: Forbes Celebrity 100". Forbes. 2006-12-15. Archived from the original on 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  42. "Forbes.com: Forbes Celebrity 100". Forbes. 2005-04-08. Archived from the original on 2005-04-08. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  43. "Best-Paid Actors and Actresses". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  44. "The Celebrity 100 - Forbes.com". images.forbes.com. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  45. "Forbes List Directory". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2007-11-09.
  46. "Forbes List Directory". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2008-09-13.
  47. "Forbes List Directory". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
  48. "Forbes List Directory". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2009-06-07.
  49. Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actors". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  50. "#8 Sandra Bullock - Forbes.com". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  51. Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Hollywood's Highest-Earning Actors". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  52. "Hollywood's 10 Highest-Paid Actresses". The Hollywood Reporter. 2011-07-05. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  53. "Hollywood's Highest Paid Actors 2012". CBS News. 5 July 2012.
  54. "Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Aniston and the Highest Paid Actresses of 2012". The Hollywood Reporter. 15 November 2012.
  55. "Robert Downey Jr. Tops Forbes' List of Highest Paid Actors". 17 July 2013.
  56. "Hollywood's Highest Paid Actresses 2013". CBS News. 31 July 2013.
  57. "Robert Downey Jr.: Hollywood's highest-paid actor (Again)". 22 July 2014.
  58. "Sandra Bullock: Forbes' highest-paid actress". 5 August 2014.
  59. "The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2015". Forbes. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  60. "The World's Highest-Paid Actresses 2015". Forbes. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  61. "The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2016". Forbes. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  62. Robehmed, Natalie (22 August 2017). "Full List: The World's Highest-Paid Actors And Actresses 2017". Forbes. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  63. Robehmed, Natalie (22 August 2018). "The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2018: George Clooney Tops List With $239 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  64. Robehmed, Natalie (16 August 2018). "The World's Highest-Paid Actresses 2018: Scarlett Johansson Steals The Spotlight With $40.5 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  65. Berg, Madeline (21 August 2019). "The Highest-Paid Actors 2019: Dwayne Johnson, Bradley Cooper And Chris Hemsworth". Forbes. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  66. Berg, Madeline (23 August 2019). "The Highest-Paid Actresses 2019: Scarlett Johansson Leads With $56 Million". Forbes. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  67. Berg, Madeline (11 August 2020). "The Highest-Paid Actors 2020". Forbes. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  68. Berg, Madeline (2 October 2020). "The Highest-Paid Actresses 2020". Forbes. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  69. "The Highest-Paid Entertainers 2022". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  70. "The World's 10 Highest-Paid Entertainers". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  71. "The Highest-Paid Actors Of 2023". Forbes. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
Categories: