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Business magazine Forbes has released its annual ranking of Hollywood's highest-paid stars. As is tradition, the publication provides two figures for each celebrity: their net take-home pay and their gross earnings before fees for publicists, lawyers, and agents are deducted.
Topping this year's list is Dwayne Johnson, who raked in a massive $103 million in gross earnings ($88 million net). A significant $50 million of that came from his role in "Red One," which stands as the largest upfront buyout fee in streaming history—a one-time payment that doesn't include back-end profits from residuals or box office bonuses. The global success of "Moana 2," which surpassed $1 billion at the box office and which he both starred in and produced, also contributed heavily to his earnings.
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Coming in at number two is Ryan Reynolds, who dominated the summer with "Deadpool & Wolverine," earning a cool $100 million gross ($85 million net). He's followed by Kevin Hart in third place, with gross earnings of $108 million ($81 million net).
Veteran comedian Jerry Seinfeld landed the fourth spot with $70 million gross ($60 million net). Notably, a staggering $30 million of his net income came from residuals for his iconic sitcom "Seinfeld." Thanks to its enduring popularity in TV syndication and on streaming platforms, the show continues to generate substantial annual income for him.
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Others cracking the top of the list include Hugh Jackman at number five with $66 million gross ($50 million net), and Brad Pitt at number six with $42 million gross ($32 million net). George Clooney took the seventh spot with $37 million gross ($31 million net), while the ever-prolific Nicole Kidman came in eighth with $41 million gross ($31 million net).
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Adam Sandler and Will Smith claimed the ninth and tenth spots, with Sandler earning $35 million gross ($26 million net) and Smith taking in $30 million gross ($26 million net). "Law & Order" franchise cornerstone Mariska Hargitay (pictured above) secured the eleventh spot with $29 million gross ($25 million net), impressively making the list based solely on her work in the television series.
Channing Tatum followed at number twelve with $28 million gross ($24 million net). In thirteenth place is Jason Statham with $25 million gross ($24 million net). Interestingly, Statham is one of the few stars who doesn't split his earnings, as he currently works without a manager or agent.
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Mark Wahlberg landed at number fourteen with $31 million gross ($23 million net). Matt Damon is at fifteen with $30 million gross ($23 million net); like Seinfeld, Damon's income was boosted by $8 million in residuals from his past films.
John Cena took the sixteenth spot with $30 million gross ($23 million net), while Denzel Washington followed at seventeen with $27 million gross ($23 million net), also benefiting from residuals on his previous work. Jake Gyllenhaal ($26 million gross, $22 million net) and Scarlett Johansson ($25 million gross, $21 million net) claimed the eighteenth and nineteenth spots, respectively.
Closing out the list is Joaquin Phoenix, who had only one film release last year, "Joker: Folie à Deux." He earned $22 million gross ($19 million net). Despite the film's underwhelming box office performance, his pre-negotiated contract secured him the highest upfront salary of his career.
via： Forbes