The Highest Paid Actors

Being a famous movie star seems like a pretty sweet gig. It’s a job where you get to spend your days pretending to be someone you’re not, and you’re rewarded with legions of adoring fans and showered with invites to glamorous red carpet events and fancy Hollywood shindigs. What could be better than that, you ask? The biggest perk of life has got to be the ridiculous amounts of cash that you can make once you’ve made it as a bona fide film star. Sure, it’s a long road to go from struggling actor to marquee celebrity, but the monetary reward for reaching the top sure seems to be worth the wait.

It should come as no surprise that the film industry in particular is big business. The North American box office took in over $11 billion in revenue in 2016—a number that shattered the previous record. And when you add in all the other global movie markets that number jumps all the way up to $38 billion. Ticket sales don’t lie, and the large amount of money generated within industry means big paydays for its leading men and women. Even though there has been a lot of conversation regarding television as the new go-to medium for entertainment, Hollywood doesn’t seem to be listening. In fact, approximately 735 movies received traditional theatrical releases in 2016.

Show business has changed drastically in the era of streaming platforms and social media, so who are the modern movie stars bringing home the most cash? You might be surprised to see who is the highest paid actor in Hollywood, bringing home the big bucks. Thanks to these numbers compiled by Forbes, we get an inside look at just how much our favorite celebrities are earning these days. See below for the full list, and try remember that movie stars are just like us—except for their astronomical paychecks.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Johnson may have come from humble beginnings as a professional wrestler, but his rise to one of Tinseltown’s leading men has been one hell of a ride. From action to comedy, the big guy can seemingly do it all. His charisma, ripped physique and flashy smile have helped him become 2016’s highest-paid actor, thanks to his work in movies like Central Intelligence, The Fate of the Furious, and Baywatch. Only time will tell if he continues to be a dominating force in Hollywood or gives it all up to run for President.

Jackie Chan

While the master of mixing martial arts and comedy might not seem like an obvious choice for a big earner, especially given the fact that he hasn’t had an American blockbuster in years, the star still keeps a high profile in the Chinese entertainment industry. Chan pulled in over $61M in 2016 from a string of movies, including the stand-out hit Skiptrace, which also starred former Jackass hooligan Johnny Knoxville.

Tom Cruise

Cruise’s love for the controversial “religion” Scientology hasn’t slowed down the actor’s film career one bit. In 2016, he scored a big back-end cut from latest installment of his Mission Impossible franchise and a hefty upfront payment for a sequel to Jack Reacher. Both deals have allowed the heartthrob-turned-weirdo to remain one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood today. Even at the age of 53, Cruise shows no signs of slowing down or backing away from the high-action roles that have defined his career—and helped stuff his wallet.

Jennifer Lawrence

Despite the glaring wage gap between men and women in the entertainment industry, Lawrence still manages to find herself in the upper echelon of Hollywood’s salary range. Her talent and versatility as an actor has allowed her to star in more dramatic roles like Joy and big action franchises like X-Men or The Hunger Games. In 2016, she took home a cut of the profits from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, which grossed just north of $653 million. Her off-screen likability and ability to get Oscar nominations is a winning combo for which studios are willing to pay top dollar.

Johnny Depp

In the time since Johnny Depp's then-wife Amber Heard went public with allegations of physical and verbal abuse, things have cooled down for the star (mostly thanks to a team of skilled lawyers and publicists), but his reputation will never be the same. Luckily for his bank account, he scored an estimated eight-figure upfront paycheck for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Given the rumors of his bizarre spending habits, it might be wise for the actor to tuck some of that cash away for safe keeping, as he might find his current likeability as a movie star isn’t what it once was.

Ben Affleck

Although it was his younger brother Casey who was in the spotlight for most of 2016, the elder Affleck is still the one bringing home the big bucks. Despite being dragged by movie critics everywhere, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice grossed over $870 million worldwide and helped the actor grab the biggest annual paycheck of his career. He’s not without flops though—his passion project Live by Night lost an estimated $75 million—but with his otherwise pretty good track record, you can bet he won’t have any trouble finding more big payouts in the future.

Melissa McCarthy

The comedic talents of McCarthy are not to be messed with. The funnywoman reportedly banked an upfront fee in the eight-figure range for her role in the Ghostbusters remake, which took in nearly $230 million at the box office. Another reason she can command high salaries is her other hit Spy, which earned a whopping $235 million off a tiny (by Hollywood standards) budget of $65 million, shows movie executives that she’s worth every penny of her big paychecks.

Matt Damon

Damon, much like his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck, had a very good year in 2016. The Martian, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, brought the movie star both critical praise (including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor) and a hefty paycheck as the film went on to gross a massive $630 million off of a much smaller $108 million budget. If one blockbuster hit wasn’t enough, Damon also landed big paydays for his roles in the Bourne Identity series and the controversial, yet financially sound The Great Wall.

Vin Diesel

Diesel might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of a list of Hollywood’s leading men, but the actor took in an astonishing $35 million in 2016. It was a big year for the action star and his famous shiny head as he reprised his roles for both The Fast and the Furious and Guardians of the Galaxy franchises. Diesel is also a master of social media who has 100 million fans on Facebook, so it’s not hard to understand why his star power comes with such a hefty price tag.