Do you have a picture of yourself with one of your favorite actors? Has your favorite star ever replied to your comment on their status on social media? Have you ever got a reply/acknowledgment to the fan mail you sent to them?
Aren’t these once-in-a-lifetime fangirl/boy moments we want to tell our grandchildren about?
Indeed, stardom is a fascinating phenomenon for common people. The glamour, the attention, and the worldwide recognition are enviable. So are the fat pay cheques that the highest-paid actors in the world take home. They are rightly called ‘stars’ as they shine bright, are visible from anywhere in the world, and are admired by all!
Yes, we are talking about the movie and television actors. They work in one of the highest-paying industries in the world. As a result, they have a lavish lifestyle, massive fan following, and interesting lives. We often see their names on the list of the richest people in the world.
Today, we share with you the list of the top ten highest-paid actors in the world as per the data available till October 2021. Brace yourself and count how many of your favorite stars make it to the list!
Table of Contents
Daniel Craig – The James Blonde
Daniel Craig signed a multi-movie deal with the streaming platform Netflix. The next 2 sequels of the film ‘Knives Out’ will be streamed on the platform in the next few years. The actor got a whopping $100 Million for the deal! This brings him to the top of the charts of the richest actors in the world.
Daniel Craig began acting at the age of 6. When he was 16, he started working as a theatre actor.
The actor got associated with the ‘James Bond’ franchise in 2006. ‘Casino Royale’ was Craig’s first ‘Bond’ movie.
The actor is admired for a wide range of roles. His movies, be it ‘Munich’ or ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, are a thrill to watch.
His latest ‘Bond’ movie, which will be the 25th in the series, is much awaited. Its release got repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic. The movie is slated to release in October 2021 (fingers crossed).
Much to the fan’s dismay, this will be Craig’s last ‘Bond’ picture!
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Daniel Wroughton Craig |
| Age (as on 2021) | 53 years |
| Height | 5 Feet 10 Inches |
| Married to | Rachel Weisz (Married 2011), Fiona Loudon (Married 1992–1994) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Knives Out Sequels |
| Salary | $100 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $161 Million |
Also, ‘No Time To Die’, the next ‘Bond’ film will be released soon thereby adding to the net worth of the British actor.
Point To Be Noted
In 2015, in one of his interviews with a leading daily, the actor was heard saying, “I’d rather slash my wrists than play James Bond again”.
Dwayne Johnson – The Rock
Dwayne Johnson has donned multiple hats – actor, wrestler (now retired), football player (now retired), businessman, and producer! He is fondly still addressed as ‘The Rock’ by his fans.
He has been right on the top of the list of the highest-paid actors in the world. His pay cheque for the movie‘ Red One’ is estimated to be around $50 Million.
His most popular movies are ‘Fast and the Furious’ sequels 6 & 7, ‘Jumanji’ series and ‘The Scorpion King’. His first movie was ‘The Scorpion King’, in which he was playing the title role. Dwayne was extremely popular as a wrestler and was a part of the television shows ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown’.
The actor has been featured on the Time list of 100 most influential people in the world, twice.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Dwayne Douglas Johnson |
| Age (as on 2021) | 49 Years |
| Height | 6 Feet 5 Inches |
| Married to | Lauren Hashian (Married 2019), Dany Garcia (Married 1997–2008) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Red One |
| Salary | $50 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $400 Million |
Johnson was seen in the HBO comedy series ‘Ballers’ which ran for 5 seasons and was a huge hit. In 2021, he worked in ‘Young Rock’ which is an autobiographical series.
Point To Be Noted
The Rock once called the younger generation ‘Snowflake Generation’ as in his opinion, they are looking for reasons to get offended. This had stirred controversies and the young generation surely did get ‘offended’.
Will Smith – The Ultimate Man in Black
Will Smith is a superstar with a consistently great record at the box office. He has also been a rapper and a producer. He has worked in movies like ‘Men in Black’, ‘Pursuit of Happyness’, ‘Ali’ etc all of which are iconic roles.
The actor has been nominated for Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards numerous times. He has won a Grammy 4 times!
He has a record of having 8 consecutive movies that earned more than $100 Million on the US Box Office and 11 consecutive films that earned $150 Million internationally.
Will Smith is an international megastar and has been loved by the audience in the various roles played by him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Willard Carroll Smith Jr |
| Age (as on 2021) | 53 Years |
| Height | 6 Feet 2 Inches |
| Married to | Jada Pinkett Smith (Married 1997), Sheree Zampino (Married 1992–1995) |
| Highest Paid Movie | King Richard |
| Salary | $40 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $350 Million |
Smith’s most awaited film is King Richard. The film is about Tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and how their father coached them to reach the top. Smith plays Richard Williams in the movie. Smith is co-producing the film along with Isha Price (one of the William sisters).
The film is slated for release on HBO Max and theaters in November 2021. Smith got a handsome paycheck of $40 Million. Will Smith is one of the richest actors in the world!
Point To Be Noted
The actor’s marriage with Jada has been in the spotlight with speculation of separation and divorce. In this context, the actor once said in his interview, “We ride together, we die together. Bad marriage for life.”
This line from Will’s movie ‘Bad Boys’ sums up his marriage with his wife Jada!
Denzel Washington
Washington, who is an actor, director, and producer, was ranked as the greatest actor of the 21st Century by the New York Times! The actor has won 2 Oscars, 3 Golden Globe Awards, 1 Tony Award, and Life Time Achievement Award at Golden Globe in 2016.
His phenomenal works include ‘Training Day’, ‘Flight’ and ‘Malcolm X’. The actor has a remarkable collection of vintage cars and is the epitome of classical stardom!
Point To Be Noted
| Full Name | Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. |
| Age (as on 2021) | 66 Years |
| Height | 6 Feet |
| Married to | Pauletta Washington since 1983 |
| Highest Paid Movie | The Little Things |
| Salary | $40 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $250 Million |
Washington got a hefty fee of $40 Million for his movie ‘The Little Things’. The movie was released in January 2021 on HBO Max and in theaters. The movie is a crime thriller and the actor plays the role of a detective in the movie.
‘The Tragedy of Macbeth ‘, which is a December 2021 release, is his latest movie!
Point To Be Noted
Denzel Washington said at an event that God has been asking him to ‘feed his sheep’. Having experienced the loss of his mother, the actor is drawn towards spirituality!
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leo (as he is fondly called) is an international crush. The actor got his first Oscar and Golden Globe nomination at the age of 19! He has given many memorable performances, but his role as Jack in Titanic remains etched on our memories forever!
The actor has given remarkable performances in ‘The Wolf of Wallstreet’, ‘Inception’, ‘The Boy’s Life’ and many more. He is also an environmentalist.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio |
| Age (as on 2021) | 46 Years |
| Height | 6 Feet |
| Married to | Gisele Bundchen (Married 2000 – 2005), Bar Refaeli (Married 2005 – 2011) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Don’t Look Up |
| Salary | $30 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $260 Million |
Leo’s movie ‘Don’t Look Up’ (a December 2021 release) is science fiction. You can watch it on Netflix! The release got delayed due to the pandemic. It is an awaited science fiction comedy film.
Point To Be Noted
Leo’s movie, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ had faced criticism for the portrayal of the sinful lifestyle of Jordan Belfort. In reaction to this, he said, “It’s incredibly freeing, performance-wise, to have no moral high ground and nobody really in the film that I had to answer to.”
Mark Wahlberg
Mark (better known as Marky Mark) started his career as a rapper. Mark later ventured into movies. Today, Mark is an actor and businessman with multiple businesses in health & wellness, hospitality, and movie production.
‘Renaissance Man’ (1994) was Mark’s first movie. He has an enviable body of work including movies like ‘Planet of the apes’, ‘Transformers’ franchise, ‘Ted’, ‘Ted 2’ etc.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg |
| Age (as on 2021) | 50 years |
| Height | 5 Feet 8 Inches |
| Married to | Rhea Durham (married in 2009) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Spenser Confidential |
| Salary | $ 40 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $ 350 Million |
The movie ‘Spenser Confidential’ released on Netflix in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. It is a mild-action movie and is a cop story. Mark got an impressive $40 Million for the role.
Point To Be Noted
Mark had once told a news channel, “I did a lot of things I regretted”. This was in the context of racist crimes that Mark was involved in as a teenager.
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrance is best known as an action heroine. Her roles in ‘X Men’ movies were very appreciated. She is a staunch advocate of gender equality. She started working at a young age and has won the Oscar award for her remarkable performance in the movie ‘Silver Linings Playbook’.
She is the highest-paid female actor. Her role in the ‘Hunger Games’ movie series is very popular.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Jennifer Shrader Lawrence |
| Age (as on 2021) | 31 |
| Height | 5 Feet 9 Inches |
| Married to | Cooke Maroney (married 2019) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Don’t Look Up |
| Salary | $25 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $400 Million |
Point To Be Noted
Jennifer has been at the center of controversies. She once said in an interview that while filming ‘The Hunger Games’ in Hawaii, she used one of the sacred rocks for scratching her butt. After she received backlash, she took to Facebook to apologize.
Julia Roberts
Julia – Pretty Woman – Roberts has won our hearts over and over! Roberts has had a remarkable career, delivering numerous masterpieces. ‘Money Monster ‘, ‘Runaway Bride’, ‘Erin Brockovich’, ‘Notting Hill’ and ‘Eat, Love, Pray’ are her most loved works.
The actor has been nominated for an Oscar four times. She has won one Oscar and 3 Golden Globe Awards.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Julia Fiona Roberts |
| Age (as on 2021) | 53 years |
| Height | 5 Feet 8 Inches |
| Married to | Daniel Moder (married 2002), Lyle Lovett (married 1993–1995) |
| Highest Paid Movie | Leave the World Behind |
| Salary | $25 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $250 Million |
Point To Be Noted
Julia Roberts was called ‘Tinkerhell’ on the sets of ‘Hook’ due to her bad behavior!
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock started acting at the age of 5. The movie that brought Bullock to the top of the charts was ‘Speed’ which was an action flick. Her breezy Rom-Coms like ‘The Proposal’, ‘Miss Congeniality’, ‘Two Weeks Notice’ are very popular.
She has won one Oscar, one Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Critic’s Choice Movie Awards.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Sandra Annette Bullock |
| Age (as on 2021) | 57 Years |
| Height | 5 Foot 6 Inches |
| Married to | Jesse James (married 2005–2010) |
| Highest Paid Movie | The Lost City of D |
| Salary | $20 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $200 Million |
Point To Be Noted
On the Ellen Show, when asked about her beauty secret she said, “I call it the penis facial”. It is a popular beauty treatment using foreskin. This indeed caused a stir!
Ryan Gosling
We first saw Ryan Gosling on the Disney Channel’s ‘The Mickey Mouse Club’. ‘La La Land’ is a remarkable performance by Ryan Gosling. He also got a Golden Globe Award. ‘Remember the Titans’, ‘The Believer’, ‘Murder by Numbers’ are his distinct performances.
It is interesting to know that the furniture made in ‘The Notebook’ was made by Gosling as he trained under a carpenter for the role!
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Ryan Thomas Gosling |
| Age (as on 2021) | 40 Years |
| Height | 6 Feets |
| Married to | Eva Mendes (married 2011) |
| Highest Paid Movie | The Grey Man |
| Salary | $20 Million |
| Total Net Worth | $70 Million |
Point To Be Noted
Ryan Gosling once said in an interview, “I’ve worked hard for it, but I also was lucky” about being able to make a film like ‘La La Land’. He said this while mentioning that he moved to LA from Canada at the age of 16.
Fun Facts About Highest Paid Actors
- The highest paid female actor is Jennifer Lawrance. The movie for which she was paid $25 Million is, ‘Don’t Look Up’. Her co-star Leo was paid $30 Million for the same film. Pay disparity among actors seems to be a global situation!
- Will Smith’s next film ‘King Richard’ is based on the story of Richard Williams and his daughters Serena and Venus William. It is fascinating that Richard Williams had a 72-page career plan ready for his daughters even before they were born. No wonder, he is a champion maker!
- Daniel Craig is the shortest actor to plan ‘Bond’. He is the first actor to play ‘Bond’ who was born after the series started. He is also the only blonde ‘Bond’ and has a fear of guns!
- The Rock coined the term SmackDown! He has a degree in criminology and wrestling runs in his family. He also once broke the record of taking the most number of selfies! That surely is one record we may attempt to break!
- Denzel, who attended a military academy performs most of his stunts on his own! The actor denied a kissing scene with Julia Roberts (really??) for the fear of offending black women! Although, they kissed on stage when Roberts gave him the Oscar.
Frequently Asked Questions
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ is the most expensive movie with an expenditure of $379 Million.
‘Hi, Mom’, a Chinese comedy film, is the highest grosser. It has more than $800 Million box office collection all over the world!
Jerry Seinfeld and Tyler Perry are the actors with the highest net worth – $1 Billion!
Katharine Hepburn, a Hollywood star, has won 4 Oscars in her 66-year-old movie career.
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