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We love him for Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison. We tolerated him in Little Nicky and Mr Deeds. And we applauded his performance in Uncut Gems. But that’s not why Adam Sandler has been named the highest-paid actor of 2025 by Forbes.
The 59-year-old pulled in an estimated $USD48 million ($AUD68.7 million) in 2025 without a single box-office hit. Instead, he made his fortune thanks to a long-running Netflix deal that pays him whether the movies hit or not. His latest releases, including the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2, feel less like make-or-break projects and more like another trip away with the same crew. And that’s what has changed – Hollywood’s top earners don’t necessarily need hits anymore, they just need to show up.
Forbes Highest-Paid Actors 2025 – Key Facts
- No.1: Adam Sandler – USD$48M
- Total Top 20 Earnings: USD$590M USD (down 20% YoY)
- Biggest Trend: Streaming buyout deals dominate
- Youngest Entry: Millie Bobby Brown (22)
- Highest Traditional Studio Deals: Scarlett Johansson (USD$43M for Jurassic World reboot); Brad Pitt (USD$41M for F1)
The Top 20 Highest-Paid Actors of 2025
When you look a little closer at the list, the money starts to make more sense. A lot of these paydays are locked in well before the cameras start rolling. Actors like Mark Wahlberg, Daniel Craig and Denzel Washington have leaned into big upfront deals with platforms like Netflix, Apple and Prime Video. No waiting on box office numbers. The cheque is already signed. But even with that certainty, the total earnings across the top 20 actors dropped 20% this year.
You can also see a change in the names that aren’t on the list. Last year’s highest-paid actor, Dwayne Johnson, is nowhere to be seen despite the release of The Smashing Machine. Other A-list names like Julia Roberts and Glen Powell are also missing.
It seems we’re reaching a point where being a movie star is no longer about box-office pull. It’s about who can get paid before the film even comes out.
| Rank | Actor | Earnings (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Sandler | $48M |
| 2 | Tom Cruise | $46M |
| 3 | Mark Wahlberg | $44M |
| 4 | Scarlett Johansson | $43M |
| 5 | Brad Pitt | $41M |
| 6 | Denzel Washington | $38M |
| 7 | Jack Black | $28M |
| 8 | Jason Momoa | $28M |
| 9 | Daniel Craig | $27M |
| 10 | Millie Bobby Brown | $26M |
| 11 | John Cena | $26M |
| 12 | Reese Witherspoon | $26M |
| 13 | George Clooney | $25M |
| 14 | Leonardo DiCaprio | $25M |
| 15 | Rob Mac | $23M |
| 16 | Chris Pratt | $22M |
| 17 | Tom Hardy | $21M |
| 18 | Jennifer Aniston | $20M |
| 19 | Cameron Diaz | $20M |
| 20 | Jason Bateman | $19M |
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