By now, we all know that being an actor (and a famous one) has many, many perks, not the least of which is having a ridiculously large salary. The truth is that with movies that are box-office hits, why would the actors not be entitled to a big slice of the pie? Talent is rare and actors have to improvise a lot on sets in order to bring characters to life, and when all is said and done, could we picture God as someone else than Morgan Freeman? These actors give life to their characters and make them unforgettable. So here are five of the highest paid actors in Hollywood:
Robert Downey Jr.
Hit machine Robert Downey Junior tops the list, being the highest paid actor at Hollywood according to Forbes- he’s already starred in six great movies (and each of them grossed at least $500 million at the box-office). In fact, Iron Man and The Avengers doubled that figure, earning well over $1 billion. With such amazing earnings, Downey has reportedly received an estimated $75 million between June of 2012 and June of 2013. For The Avengers, Downey was given the largest chunk of profits (even larger than the director, Joss Whedon) and has already ensured that he will receive an upfront payday once they start filming the sequel.
Channing Tatum
Earning $15 million less than Downey, a figure of $60 million is certainly worth noticing, especially since his earnings are because of his smart business decisions. When he and director Steven Soderbergh decided to self-finance a movie based on the actors’ past as a male stripper, Magic Mike hit it big and they also got a big fat check. So much so that the movie is now a franchise and has its own Broadway show.
Hugh Jackman
This acting-singing-dancing sensation of a man, with abs of steel and the smile of the sweetest gentleman is number three on our list, earning $55 million. Best known for his roles as Wolverine and Jean Valjean, he has not only earned himself an Oscar nomination but also brought his audience to tears with his breathtaking performance in Les Miserables. Moreover, the talented actor is also trying his hand at business and his tea and coffe company (Laughing Man) is not only doing well, but also donating all its profits to charity.
Mark Wahlberg
Mark was one of the unexpected entries in 2013 when his hit movie Ted, where a teddy bear not only comes to life but also grows up, earned a staggering $550 million in the box-office. Mila Kunis, Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane were also earned a well-deserved share of the winnings. What this movie also did for him is set him up for the Transformers blockbuster, set to hit theaters in 2014.
Dwayne Johnson
Better known as The Rock earned a whopping $46 million and when his movie, Fast & Furious 6 stayed in the box office top ten for over ten weeks, it was clear that he’d struck gold. He’s now moving into TV productions with a new reality show called The Hero (where ordinary people are asked to play the hero in certain situations).
Bonus-Angelina Jolie
You’ve surely noticed that there is no woman in our list so we decided to add the highest paid actress into this list, although it’s clear that actresses are not only under-represented but also paid significantly less than men. With $33 million in earnings, her winnings are indeed enormous but pale in comparison to those of Robert Downing Jr. The obvious question everyone has on his lips is: why?
He hope you enjoyed our list of highest paid actors in Hollywood. Do you think they deserve their earnings? We would love to hear your opinions on the matter!