While the highest-paidfilm 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 [ edit ] 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 theMatrix sequels). The figures are given at theirnominal value , since earnings from profit-based deals are accumulated over many years, making it unfeasible to adjust forinflation .
Keanu Reeves earned a record $156 million for the first twoMatrix 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 forGravity . 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 [ 1] Bruce Willis The Sixth Sense 1999 $14,000,000 $100,000,000 [ 1] Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible 2 2000 $100,000,000 [ 1] Tom Cruise War of the Worlds 2005 $100,000,000 [ 1] Will Smith Men in Black 3 2012 $100,000,000 [ 2] Tom Cruise Top Gun: Maverick 2022 $12,500,000 $100,000,000 [ 3] [ 4] Alec Guinness Star Wars 1977 $150,000 $95,000,000 [ 5] Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Infinity War 2018 $75,000,000+ [ 6] Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man 3 2013 $75,000,000 [ 7] Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Endgame 2019 $20,000,000 $75,000,000 [ 8] Sandra Bullock Gravity 2013 $20,000,000 $70,000,000+ [ 9] Tom Hanks Forrest Gump 1994 $70,000,000 [ 1] Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible 1996 $70,000,000 [ 1] Harrison Ford Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 $65,000,000 [ 10] Jack Nicholson Batman 1989 $6,000,000 $60,000,000 [ 1] [ 11] Leonardo DiCaprio Inception 2010 $59,000,000 [ 12] Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2011 $35,000,000 $55,000,000 [ 12] [ 13] Jackie Chan Rush Hour 3 2007 $15,000,000 $53,700,000 [ 14] Robert Downey Jr. The Avengers 2012 $50,000,000 [ 15] Margot Robbie Barbie 2023 $12,500,000 $50,000,000 [ 16] Cameron Diaz Bad Teacher 2011 $42,000,000 [ 17] Robert Downey Jr. Captain America: Civil War 2016 $40,000,000 $40,000,000+ [ 7] Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic 1997 $40,000,000 [ 1] Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan 1998 $40,000,000 [ 1] Johnny Depp Alice in Wonderland 2010 $40,000,000 [ 12] Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015 $40,000,000 [ 18] Will Smith King Richard 2021 $40,000,000 $40,000,000 [ 19] Denzel Washington The Little Things 2021 $40,000,000 [ 20] Aamir Khan Dangal 2016 $39,000,000 [ nb 1] [ 22] [ 23] Allu Arjun Pushpa 2: The Rule 2024 $36,000,000 [ nb 2] [ 25] Jim Carrey Yes Man 2008 $35,000,000 [ 26] Will Smith Emancipation 2022 $35,000,000 $35,000,000 [ 27] Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 2003 $29,250,000 $30,000,000+ [ nb 3] [ 1] Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon 4 1998 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 [ 1] Brad Pitt Ocean's Eleven 2001 $10,000,000 $30,000,000 [ 1] Leonardo DiCaprio Don't Look Up 2021 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 [ 20] Leonardo DiCaprio Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 [ 27]
^ ₹257crore ($39.4 million at 2017 exchange rates).[ 21] ^ ₹300crore ($35.9 million at 2024 exchange rates).[ 24] ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger received a $29,250,000 salary forTerminator 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 [ edit ] Dwayne Johnson was the highest-paid actor in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Sylvester Stallone was the highest-paid actor in 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1995. Julia Roberts was the highest-paid actress in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Forbes Forbes are tabulated here. The earnings only cover a one-year period, and in some instances are derived from other revenue streams besides acting work.
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