The highest paid actors can earn up to $20 million for a film, with TV actors also commanding high fees. Hollywood movie stars like Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp top the list, while Julia Roberts was one of the first women to earn over $20 million. Comedian Will Ferrell and actor Will Smith also made the list, while Ray Romano is now one of the highest paid actors in the world. However, high earnings don’t always equal credibility or longevity in Hollywood.
The highest paid actors can command up to 20 million US dollars (USD) for a film. With the advent of home video and DVD, an actor’s earnings can be much higher than his initial fee.
Even the highest paid actors aren’t necessarily tied to the big screen. Many television actors command huge fees for their work. Although Jennifer Aniston has made a name for herself on the hit TV show Friends, she has managed to successfully transition into movies. Aniston is now considered a powerful figure in Hollywood and earned around 18.5 million US dollars (USD) in 2005.
However, it is the big Hollywood movie stars that top the list of highest paid actors. Tom Cruise has always had a lucrative film career. Despite being ousted from his film company due to his personal life, Cruise still managed to make $31 million in 2005.
Johnny Depp was once considered a favorite of independent films, but his films never made much money. However, since his swashbuckling role in Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp has amassed a lot of cash. He managed to win the famous Cruise taking home 37 million dollars in 2005.
Julia Roberts was one of the first women to cross the $20 million mark for a parenthesis. She has also managed to stay at the top of Hollywood despite her young starlets hot on her heels. Younger, well-paid actors include Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner, who earned $13 million and $14 million, respectively, in 2005.
Hollywood men have always fought for the top of the list of highest paid actors. Comedian Will Ferrell laughed his way to the bank in 2005 when he pocketed $40 million. He was followed closely by I, Robot and Men in Black star Will Smith, who minted an estimated $35 million. The Spiderman franchise has been good to Tobey Macguire. At just 30, his 2005 earnings were in the $32 million range.
Ray Romano is now one of the highest paid actors in the world. The Everybody Loves Raymond star made $33 million for the show’s final season and is now expected to make the jump to big-screen roles. Romano’s onscreen wife, Patricia Heaton, could only manage a measly $9 million for the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond, but she looks set to rake in more money from the show’s syndication. A recently reported seven-figure deal looks set to keep cash flowing.
For many of the highest paid actors, money doesn’t equal credibility. While everyone earns high checks, most aren’t taken as seriously as a Robert De Niro or an Al Pacino, at least not by the folks handing out the Oscars. The businessmen and women who make a lot of money off these stars aren’t too concerned about this, but high earning power doesn’t always guarantee longevity in Hollywood — ask Macaulay Culkin.
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