15 Highest Paid Actors in Hollywood Right Now

The highest-paid actors in Hollywood have been revealed and it’s been another great year for Dwayne Johnson who’s earned himself $88 Million in the last 12 months. The list, which has been put together by Forbes, has once again proved that A-listers are still earning massive amounts in the age of streaming. Indeed, high-profile celebs like Dwayne Johnson, Hugh Jackman, and Ryan Reynolds are making the once-lofty salaries of the 1990s seem almost paltry by comparison. Just as the industry continues to adapt, so too have its biggest earners, who use back-end deals, producer credits, marketing campaigns, and good old-fashioned star power to rake in millions of dollars per project. Here’s a closer look.

Highest Paid Actors at a Glance

Highlights from our list include the following:

• Highest-paid actor overall: Dwayne Johnson
• Highest-paid actress: Nicole Kidman

Now you’ve read the highlights, let’s check out the complete list.

1. Dwayne Johnson, $88 million

Paid: USD$88 million ($103 million gross)

While not the marquee name he was years ago, Dwayne Johnson remains one of the hardest-working—and most successful—men in show business. His tireless and savvy work ethic keeps him at the top of his respective class in terms of income. According to Forbes, his deal with Amazon on Red One resulted in what many are calling the “largest fee-plus-buyout in streaming movie history.” The film underperformed at the box office but went on to become a huge streaming success, thanks in no small part to his promotional efforts across various platforms. His role as a voice actor and executive producer on Moana 2 rounded out his astronomical earnings.

• Major Projects:
  • Red One (Amazon): $50 million payday including acting, producing, and buyout of back-end
  • Moana 2 (Disney): Executive producer with a share of profits
• Age: 52
• Notable Achievements: Record-setting upfront payday for a single movie

2. Ryan Reynolds, $85 million

Paid: USD$85 million ($100 million gross)

The best way to stay relevant in Hollywood is to assume control over your various projects, and no one did that better than Ryan Reynolds in 2024. Not only did he co-produce and star in the blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine, but he also received a co-writing credit on the screenplay. Outside of movie-making, he’s an economic force to be reckoned with. Additional business ventures include spirits, a mobile network, and his ownership stake in the Wrexham Football Club.

• Major Projects:
  • Deadpool & Wolverine
  • IF
  • Welcome to Wrexham (Hulu)
• Age: 48
• Notable Achievements: Produced his own film and ad content through Maximum Effort

3. Kevin Hart, $81 million

Paid: USD$81 million ($108 million gross)

We called Dwayne Johnson one of the hardest-working men in show business, to which Kevin Hart replied, “Hold my beer.” Heck, if you told us that this multi-hyphenate cloned himself about 10 years ago, we just might believe you. Turn on the nearest screen and you’ll probably see him soon enough, whether it be in a direct-to-streaming movie, stand-up special, or celebrity roast. He’s also a producer on virtually every project to bear his name, adding plenty of income to his bottom line. So…which of his clones hosts the weekly podcast?

• Major Projects:
  • Borderlands
  • Lift (Netflix)
  • Die Hart 2: Die Harter
  • Fight Night
• Age: 45
• Notable Achievements: 90-show stand-up tour and host of weekly podcast Gold Minds

4. Jerry Seinfeld, $60 million

Paid: USD$60 million ($70 million gross)

We weren’t exactly warmed over by the Netflix movie Unfrosted, but something tells us that Jerry Seinfeld doesn’t really care what we think. In addition to his film about Pop Tarts, the comedy legend reaped continuing returns from his eponymous sitcom. He still performs stand-up as well and presumably charges a pretty penny for it, though it’s still pocket change compared to his overall net worth (last tallied at $1.1 billion).

• Major Projects:
  • Unfrosted (Netflix): Writer, director, and star
  • Seinfeld streaming and syndication revenues
• Age: 70
• Notable Achievements: Made his feature film directorial debut

5. Hugh Jackman, $50 million

Paid: USD$50 million ($66 million gross)

How much was Hollywood willing to pay Hugh Jackman to reprise his iconic role of Wolverine? Approximately $50 million, according to estimates. We’ll safely presume the total includes gross points on the blockbuster, which made around $1.3 billion at the international box office. He’s currently attached to four upcoming films in various states of production, but no superhero projects…for now.

• Major Projects:
  • Deadpool & Wolverine
• Age: 56
• Notable Achievements: Made a major return to his role as Wolverine

6. Brad Pitt, $32 million

Paid: USD$32 million ($42 million gross)

It was initially reported that Brad Pitt and George Clooney were paid a whopping $35 million each to co-star in the crime comedy Wolfs. That number later dropped to around $20 million each, which is still pretty outrageous considering the movie’s limited theatrical run and subsequent release on Apple’s fledgling streamer. Pitt’s production shingle Plan B produced the film along with the 2024 blockbusters Bob Marley: One Love and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

• Major Projects:
  • Wolfs
• Age: 61
• Notable Achievements: Continues to balance major acting roles and producing hits

7. George Clooney, $31 million

Paid: USD$31 million ($37 million gross)

Clooney called it “bad for our industry if that’s what people think is the standard bearer for salaries” when asked about his rumoured $35 million payday on Wolfs. No matter what the actual total, the veteran movie star took home a nice chunk of change for his role in the film. Apple won the rights to the project after a fierce bidding war and if we know one thing about the tech giant these days, it’s that they know how to blow money on entertainment.

• Major Projects:
  • Wolfs
• Age: 63
• Notable Achievements: Maintains status as both A-list actor and acclaimed director

8. Nicole Kidman, $31 million

Paid: USD$31 million ($41 million gross)

And now for the hardest-working woman in show business, who tackles projects of all scales and apparently for all streamers. In 2024 alone, you could catch Nicole Kidman on the Netflix series The Perfect Couple and the Paramount+ series Lioness and the Prime Video series Expats and that’s not to mention her assortment of film appearances. Behind the scenes, she’s seeking out directors she wants to work with and producing a number of her projects. And before you ask: yes, her viral pre-movie commercial is still playing at AMC theatres to this day. Cha-ching!

• Major Projects:
  • The Perfect Couple (Netflix)
• Age: 57
• Notable Achievements: Only woman in the top 10 highest-paid actors of the year

9. Adam Sandler, $26 million

Paid: USD$26 million ($35 million gross)

Adam Sandler has been taking home 8-figure salaries since the 1990s even if his output isn’t exactly what one might call consistent. That theme continues to this day as he delivers one project for Netflix after the next. Some folks are calling the sci-fi drama Spaceman an overlooked gem though most viewers found it plodding. The comedy sequel Murder Mystery 2 was similarly lambasted but for different reasons. Our advice is to skip those titles and watch his 2023 animated comedy Leo instead. Anyway, Sandler’s gonna Sandler and make a bundle in the process and we can’t help but love him for it.

• Major Projects:
  • Spaceman
  • Murder Mystery 2
• Age: 58
• Notable Achievements: One of Netflix’s most bankable stars

10. Will Smith, $26 million

Paid: USD$26 million ($30 million gross)

Don’t call it a comeback since Will Smith can never really go away. That said, the Hollywood megastar is arguably still dealing with the fallout from the infamous slap heard around the world. What better way to wipe our collective memories than to reprise the role of cop Mike Lowrey in the Bad Boys franchise? He was also a producer on the recent fourth instalment, which grossed over $400 million worldwide.

• Major Projects:
  • Bad Boys 4
• Age: 56
• Notable Achievements: Maintains a strong box office presence despite past controversies

11. Mariska Hargitay, $25 million

Paid: USD$25 million ($29 million gross)

You might not recognise the name Mariska Hargitay, but if you’ve seen Law & Order: SVU, you definitely recognise the face. A series stalwart if there ever was one, she’s appeared in 550 episodes of the popular procedural, with a current salary of $750,000 per episode. Combine that with production fees and syndication money and you’re looking at one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.

• Major Projects:
  • Law & Order: SVU
• Age: 61
• Notable Achievements: One of the highest-paid women on TV with decades in the same role

12. Channing Tatum, $24 million

Paid: USD$24 million ($28 million gross)

There’s no g-string in the world big enough to fit all the money that Channing Tatum has made as the star and co-creator of the Magic Mike franchise, among other projects. He performed his last dance in 2023 and starred in Fly Me to the Moon and Blink Twice the following year. Neither movie was an outright blockbuster but he still took home some hefty paychecks thanks to a streaming buyout for Fly Me to the Moon. As for his brief appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine: priceless.

• Major Projects:
  • Fly Me to the Moon
  • Blink Twice
• Age: 45
• Notable Achievements: Concluded a successful franchise as a star and producer

13. Jason Statham, $24 million

Paid: USD$24 million ($25 million gross)

Statham dropped both his manager and his agent in 2020 and has reportedly been flying solo ever since. It seems like the exact kind of thing one would expect from the action star, whose characters take on armies of opponents at a time. Such was the case in 2024’s The Beekeeper, where he blazed a trail of revenge leading all the way up to the White House. As the film’s lead actor and co-producer, he took home a huge salary and didn’t have to dole out the standard representation fees (barring legal expenses, perhaps). Those fees can add up to millions, meaning he might deserve to be higher on the list once the smoke clears. Either way, he’s still killing it in every sense of the concept.

• Major Projects:
  • The Beekeeper
• Age: 57
• Notable Achievements: Continues to dominate the action genre with high-grossing roles

14. Mark Wahlberg, $23 million

Paid: USD$23 million ($31 million gross)

Forget the hardest-working man in show business; Mark Wahlberg might just be the hardest-working man, period. This is someone who wakes up at the crack of dawn just to get in his daily workout before sitting down to review an ever-growing business portfolio. Somewhere in the midst of all this activity, he also manages to headline and co-produce major Hollywood films. In 2024, that included the popular Netflix action flick The Union, co-starring Halle Berry.

• Major Projects:
  • Mostly backend earnings and business ventures
• Age: 53
• Notable Achievements: Strong business portfolio and production deals bolster his earnings

15. Matt Damon

Paid: $23 million ($30 million gross)

“Hey, I want some of that streaming money too!” Matt Damon must have told his agent back in 2023 when Amazon spent a reported $130 million for the rights to Air. The following year, Apple picked up The Instigators, co-produced by Damon and Ben Affleck and co-starring Damon and Casey Affleck. The film rendered so little impact that we either forgot it came out or didn’t know it existed in the first place (directed by Doug Liman? How did we miss this one?!). But it didn’t stop Damon—who owned equity in the title—from earning serious bank. How do you like them apples?! Get it? Apple. Apples. Nevermind.

• Major Projects:
  • The Instigators
• Age: 54
• Notable Achievements: Round of hits with longtime collaborator Ben Affleck through Artists Equity

Who Didn’t Make the Top 15?

• John Cena ($23 million ($30 million gross)): Cena was everywhere in 2024, appearing on various streamers in movies like Ricky Stanicky, Jackpot!, and more.
• Denzel Washington ($23 million ($27 million gross)): For his role in Gladiator II, Washington took home a salary fit for an emperor.
• Jake Gyllenhaal ($22 million ($26 million gross)): In 2024, Jake Gyllenhaal delivered the one-two punch of Road House (for Amazon) and Presumed Innocent (for Apple).
• Scarlett Johansson ($21 million ($25 million gross)): Johansson starred in and co-produced Fly Me to the Moon and did voice work for Transformers One, two movies that didn’t score big at the box office but nevertheless stuffed her proverbial pockets.
• Joaquin Phoenix ($19 million ($22 million gross)): Phoenix took the biggest upfront fee of his career to star in the bomb Joker: Folie à Deux; a smart move, if not a telling one.