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.
+Highest-earning actors for a single production Actor Film Year Salary Total income The Matrix Revolutions 2003 $30,000,000 $156,000,000 1999 $14,000,000 $100,000,000 Mission: Impossible 2 2000 $100,000,000 War of the Worlds 2005 $100,000,000 Men in Black 3 2012 $20,000,000 $100,000,000 Top Gun: Maverick 2022 $12,500,000 $100,000,000 Tom HollandSpider-Man: Brand New Day2026 $20,000,000 $100,000,000 Star Wars 1977 $150,000 $95,000,000 Avengers: Infinity War 2018 $75,000,000+ Iron Man 3 2013 $75,000,000 Avengers: Endgame 2019 $20,000,000 $75,000,000 Gravity 2013 $20,000,000 $70,000,000+ Forrest Gump 1994 $7,000,000 $70,000,000 Mission: Impossible 1996 $25,000,000 $70,000,000 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 $65,000,000 Johnny DeppPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest2006$60,000,000 Batman 1989 $6,000,000 $60,000,000 Inception 2010 $59,000,000 Johnny DeppAlice in Wonderland2010 $55,000,000 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2011 $35,000,000 $55,000,000 Rush Hour 3 2007 $15,000,000 $53,700,000 Johnny DeppPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End2007$50,000,000 2012 $50,000,000 Barbie 2023 $12,500,000 $50,000,000 Bad Teacher 2011 $1,000,000 $42,000,000 Captain America: Civil War 2016 $40,000,000 $40,000,000+ Twins 1988 $0 $40,000,000+ Titanic 1997 $40,000,000 Saving Private Ryan 1998 $40,000,000 Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015 $40,000,000 King Richard 2021 $40,000,000 $40,000,000 The Little Things 2021 $40,000,000 Dangal 2016 $39,000,000 Pushpa 2: The Rule 2024 $36,000,000 Yes Man 2008 $35,000,000 Emancipation 2022 $35,000,000 $35,000,000 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 2003 $29,250,000 $30,000,000+ Lethal Weapon 4 1998 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 Ocean's Eleven 2001 $10,000,000 $30,000,000 Johnny DeppPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales2017$30,000,000$30,000,000 Don't Look Up 2021 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 Killers of the Flower Moon 2023 $30,000,000 $30,000,000 F1 2025 $30,000,000 $30,000,000
Highest annual earnings
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, and the highest-earning actor and actress for each year as determined by 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.
+Annual highest-paid actor and actress Year Actor Earnings (gross) Actress Earnings (gross) 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 2001 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 2024 Dwayne Johnson $103 million Nicole Kidman $41 million 2025 Adam Sandler $60 million Scarlett Johansson $50 million
See also List of highest-grossing actors
References