It is widely known that actors in Hollywood receive some of the highest salaries in the world. However, not all performers exhibit the same level of skill, and when pulling power is taken into account, some might earn far more than others. Hollywood stalwarts like Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt have had successful years with new movies, while Joaquin Phoenix has benefited financially from his highly lauded performance in the 2019 movie The Joker for the sequel.
Which actor, according to Variety’s estimates, earned the most money in 2022 as the year draws to a close?
- Joaquin Phoenix: $20 million (“Joker 2“)
Warner Bros. hired the 48-year-old American actor to portray Arthur Fleck, also known as the Joker villain from DC Comics, a dark and twisted man.
According to Variety, Phoenix only made $4.5 million her first time playing the storied villain. He will make a little bit more for his comeback to the part now that the movie has made $1 billion in revenue.
- Tom Hardy: $20 million (“Venom 3“)
Hardy, who gained notoriety for his early parts in movies like RocknRolla (2008) and Inception (2010), struck it rich when he was cast as the star of Marvel’s Venom series. The Disney-produced character was re-signed by the British actor, 45, for the film’s third installment, allegedly earning him $20 million.
- Vin Diesel: $20 million (“Fast X“)
Fans of the action mega-franchise Fast and Furious will be happy to learn that the 11th installment of the action mega-franchise is in production, and Vin Diesel will get US$20 million for his reprised part.
- Chris Hemsworth: $20 million (“Extraction 2“)
When Chris Hemsworth first joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe to play the role of Thor, he was still a relatively unknown actor. However, over the past decade, his salary for playing the character has significantly increased, going from $122,000 for the initial film to $18 million for the latest installment, according to The Indian Express. The actor is now 39 years old. The fact that Netflix paid the dashing Australian $20 million for his Extraction 2 movie shows how demanding he is.
- Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell: $20 million each (“Spirited“)
For this contemporary adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” the two comedians will be paid handsomely.
- Dwayne Johnson: $22.5 million+ (“Black Adam“)
The actor received an impressive US$22.5 million salary for his debut superhero role as Black Adam from DC Comics. Johnson receives additional compensation beyond his base salary, similar to Cruise. Along with producer credit, he is also paid a significant amount of money for promoting the movie on his social media platforms.
- Brad Pitt: $30 million (Untitled Formula 1)
For his next film, the Oscar-winning actor will be driving a race car. The movie will be directed by Joseph Kosinski, who previously directed “Top Gun: Maverick.”
- Leonardo DiCaprio: $30 million (“Killers of the Flower Moon“)
The following picture directed by the 48-year-old, Killers of the Flower Moon, earned him $30 million and features Robert De Niro. Martin Scorsese wrote the screenplay. The killings of the Osage tribe in the 1920s served as the FBI’s first significant homicide case, according to History.com, and are the basis for the historical drama.
- Will Smith: $35 million (“Emancipation“)
Despite the controversy surrounding the slapping incident, the Oscar-winning actor will continue to receive high pay for his acting roles. His next project is the escaped-slave thriller “Emancipation,” which will be released on Apple TV+.
- Tom Cruise: $100 million (“Top Gun: Maverick“)
Even if Cruise’s base salary for the “Top Gun” sequel was just $13 million, he is still the greatest in the business in this regard. In other words, if the film has a strong box office performance as “Maverick” did, Cruise will get a first-dollar gross. He makes the most of his money on the back end.
Therefore, he receives a portion of the movie’s revenue even before the studio does.