With talent and fame comes money. This is a list that ranks the richest actors in the world in 2022 based on their net worth.
Do you think you know the actor/actress in the #1 spot that is leading in colossal wealth?
Spoiler alert: They are arguably one of the most influential people to date and their empire has expanded their wealth to a billionaire level.
Top 50 Richest Actors in the World
So, who are the richest actors in the world? You’re about to find out and some of these names will surprise you. Here are the top richest actors from #50 to #1.
To start our list off is…
50. Ben Stiller – $200 Million
Best known for films like Zoolander, There’s Something About Mary, Meet The Parents, and Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller has earned a net worth of $200 million.
He has often played characters who frequently find themselves in very embarrassing, awkward situations.
Stiller has been attached to more than 50 films that have generated more than $6 billion at the global box office in sales.
49. Vin Diesel – $225 Million
Mark Sinclair, best known in Hollywood as Vin Diesel, has amassed a staggering net worth of $225 Million.
His breakout role as an actor came with the 2000 Sci-Fi Action movie Pitch Black, as Riddick, the movie’s anti-hero.
Audiences in 2020 have come to love Vin Diesel’s work as Dominic Toretto in the Fast and Furious Franchise films dating back to 2001.
Following the debut of Fast and Furious movies, he was able to capitalize on the film’s success to cement his status as an action star in the 2002 film XXX as Xander Cage.
48. Akshay Kumar – $240 Million
Akshay Kumar (Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia) is a Filmfare Award Nominated Actor from India.
With limited exposure to traditional Hollywood, he has created a marquis brand in the Indian film market warmly nicknamed “Bollywood”.
During Kumar’s Bollywood career, he is credited with appearing in over 125 films commanding a payday of up to $10 million for a film.
He’s also served on other Bollywood projects as a producer, stunt, and Martial Arts advisor on his way to building his $240 Million fortune.
47. Samuel L Jackson – $250 Million
Amassing a net worth of $250 Million Samuel L Jackson has produced and appeared in hundreds of films and television projects.
His characters tend to be rebellious with passionate tempers. His performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) gave him an Oscar nomination for his character Jules Winnfield.
46. Nicole Kidman – $250 Million
Nicole Kidman began her career on Australian television, but she began to star in American movies in 1989.
Her awards include an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards.
She was also named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine, in 2004 and 2018. Over her distinguished career, she has earned a healthy net worth of $250 million.
45. Morgan Freeman – $250 Million
Morgan Freeman has been the recipient of various awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Known as an American Icon in the film industry who has a net worth of $250 million.
He began his career in theater and later transitioned into film. Freeman is known for his distinctive, booming voice and is frequently picked for narration work.
44. Michelle Pfeiffer – $250 Million
Michelle Pfeiffer made her film debut in the 1980s and became a well-known actress after starring in Scarface three years after her debut.
Her acting versatility consistently earned her several awards, including a Golden Globe Award, three Academy Award nominations, and an Emmy Award nomination.
Her longevity and talent have earned her a net worth of $250 million.
43. Kevin Costner – $250 Million
Kevin Costner started pursuing his acting career after college and became famous for his role in The Untouchables.
Costner would showcase his talents as a producer, director, and actor earning a net worth of $250 million.
He has received two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
42. Julia Roberts – $250 Million
Between her film salaries and endorsements, Julia Roberts typically earns $20-$30 million per year.
Julia Roberts’s ability to be a high earner year in and out has allowed the actress to build a net worth of $250 million.
In 1990, she rose to fame when she starred as the leading actress in Pretty Woman opposite Richard Gere. She has won three Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award for Best Actress.
41. Julia Louis-Dreyfus – $250 Million
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is most well-known for being a leading actress in the TV sitcom “Seinfeld”. She played the role of Elaine for nine seasons between 1989 and 1998.
The show’s success in syndication has played a part in her $250 million net worth.
Julia’s most recent major television role was as Vice President Selina Meyer in the comedy “Veep”, which ran from 2012 to 2019 For the final seasons, Julia was paid $500 thousand per episode.
40. John Travolta – $250 Million
John Travolta burst onto the silver screen in the 1970s with Saturday Night Fever and danced the whole way to the bank, earning a $250 million net worth. He began his career in theater, before transitioning to television and film.
He has starred in several films and is famous for his performance in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978).
Travolta received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, one of the youngest to ever achieve this level of recognition at the age of 24.
39. Jet Li – $250 Million
Jet Li (Li Lianjie) is a Chinese film actor, and producer, who made his American debut in the 1998 Buddy Cop Action Film, Lethal Weapon 4.
Li has mastered several styles of Wushu, a style of martial arts, which helped him begin a career as a martial arts film star in China.
His martial arts skills were on full display in Lethal Weapon 4 and helped Li transition into the American film market.
This transition has helped him grow his net worth to $250 million.
38. Jessica Biel – $250 Million
Jessica Biel’s net worth is a combination with her husband, singer Justin Timberlake (who is responsible for the vast majority, $200 – $230 million, of the couple’s $250 million net worth).
Biel is most well-known for her role as Mary Camden in the hit television show “7th Heaven” and was named the Sexiest Woman Alive by “Esquire” in 2005, and ranked #1 on “Stuff” magazine’s 2007 “100 Sexiest Women” list.
37. Denzel Washington – $250 Million
Denzel Washington is an American actor, who has a net worth of $250 million, he earns $60-$80 million dollars yearly.
In addition to acting, he supplements his earnings by producing, directing, and screenwriting other projects. Denzel began studying at Fordham University and graduated with a BA in drama and journalism in 1977.
He became a household name after starring as Dr. Phillip Chandler in a successful medical drama St. Elsewhere.
He is also known for his leading roles in movies including Glory, Malcolm X, Training Day, and Remember the Titans.
36. Bruce Willis – $250 Million
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The Sixth Sense is by far Bruce’s biggest career payday. For the film, he took an upfront salary of $14 million-plus a large percentage of the gross receipts.
In total, he ended up earning around $100 million from the movie. He еаrnеd 25 million for “Lіvе Frее оr Dіе Наrd”, helping him gain a net worth of $250 million.
35. Salman Khan – $260 Million
Salman Khan’s wealth ($260 million) can greatly be attributed to his appearance in more than 80 Bollywood movies.
He is well-known for his acting and for flaunting his good looks. -People magazine voted him the best-looking man in India and the seventh in the world back in 2004.
34. Leonardo DiCaprio – $260 Million
Leonardo DiCaprio, a commercial actor turned blockbuster movie actor has been appearing in commercials as a young kid.
It wasn’t until his breakout role as Jack Dawson in the mega summer blockbuster, Titanic. He made $2.5 million for his role as Jack Dawson.
He also negotiated for a 1.8% share of gross revenue backend points. Titanic was a huge success and went on to gross $3 billion worldwide, which increased DiCaprio’s earnings on the film to $40 million.
33. Robert Downey Jr – $300 Million
Robert Downey, Jr, most famous for his role as Iron Man in the Marvel franchise, has taken real-life inspiration from his Tony Stark character amassing a $300 million dollar fortune.
At one point, he was dealing with drug addiction and was deemed too high of a liability to be hired by production companies.
He did, however, become sober from drugs and alcohol in July 2003 and was able to reclaim his fame as a top actor, eventually landing his role as Iron Man.
32. Mark Wahlberg – $300 Million
Mark Wahlberg is a rapper turned actor that worked his way to a net worth of $300 million. He first gained fame as “Marky Mark” in the 1990s, then transitioned into a highly successful actor, entrepreneur, investor, and entertainment producer.
He is known for starring in “The Perfect Storm” (2000), “Planet of the Apes” (2001), and “The Italian Job” (2003)
His performance in Martin Scorsese’s thriller “The Departed” (2006) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor, and a National Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor award.
31. Jennifer Aniston – $300 Million
Jennifer Aniston consistently earns $20 million per year, partly from acting and $10 million from endorsements. Some of the companies she endorses are: Smartwater, Emirates, Eye love, and Aveeno.
She is most famous for her role in the sitcom Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004, as Rachel Green.
The former Friends star has been able to use her star power to build a jaw-dropping $300 million net worth.
30. Harrison Ford – $300 Million
Harrison Ford’s films have grossed over $6 billion during his lengthy career as an actor. It’s easy to see how he was able to gain a $300 million net worth.
He rose to international fame after playing the role of Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy. He gained even more fame when he played the leading actor in the Indiana Jones film series.
29. Edward Norton – $300 Million
Edward Harrison Norton is a Yale Graduate who pursued acting shortly after graduation.
The actor and director seemingly made the right decision having earned $300 million net worth. He is best known for having a main role in the cult classic Fight Club.
He was a very early investor in Uber and funded analytics companies Kensho and EDO he also was the largest individual equity owner in Kensho when it sold to S&P Global for $550 million in 2018.
28. Brad Pitt – $300 Million
Brad Pitt began to command $17.5 million a film in the mid-’90s and his price tag has never looked back since then.
His in-demand skills and looks have allowed him to cash checks to the tune of $300 million net worth.
He is a very sought-after actor, has been mentioned as the world’s most attractive man, and consistently earned a minimum of $20 million for major motion picture releases.
Most of his earnings came from the success of the blockbuster films he has appeared in or produced.
27. Will Smith – $350 Million
Willard Carroll Smith Jr. is another rapper who was able to make a successful and lucrative transition into acting.
He started off his career as a musician rapper with a band called DJ Jazzy Jeff in 1987, became known for his role in the hit tv series “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and made a Hollywood debut in 1992. In April 2007, Newsweek called him “the most powerful actor in Hollywood”.
In the 2000s, at the peak of his career, he earned $20 – $30 million per movie. Annually he earns $40 million from various endeavors and has earned as much as $80 million in some years on his way to a $350 million net worth.
26. Victoria Principal – $350 Million
Victoria Principal (Vicki Ree Principal) began her own production company in 1987 called Victoria Principal Productions, which focused mainly on made for tv movies.
She is best known for her role as Pamela Ewing on Dallas, a long-running American television soap opera.
In 1989, she also created a self-named line of skincare products, Principal Secret, which undoubtedly helped her gain a $350 million net worth.
25. Sean Connery – $350 Million
Sir Thomas Sean Connery is one of the few actors who have earned himself knighthood during his career in addition to a net worth of $350 million.
He appeared in several theater productions before transitioning to television in 1956 and then eventually began acting on film.
He is known to be the first James Bond, starring in multiple Bonds films from 1962 to 1983. He is also known for his powerful deep voice and Scottish accent.
24. Michael Douglas – $350 Million
Michael Kirk Douglas’ wealth can be attributed to the salaries of stars in movies.
He has also earned money as a producer with the following: $15 million for Basic Instinct, $15 million for The American President, $20 million for The Game, $20 million for A Perfect Murder, $5 million for Wonder Boys, and $10 million for Traffic.
It’s easy to see how he was able to work his way to a $350 million net worth.
23. Keanu Reeves – $360 Million
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian native who started his career by acting in theatre. He went to television films afterward and finally made his mainstream film debut in Youngblood (1986).
Reeves gained recognition in his breakthrough role as Ted “Theodore” Logan in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and gained even more fame after starring in The Matrix and John Wick.
He was paid $10 million for The Matrix which resulted in earning $35 million after backend deals. He earned at least $120 million in bonuses from the second and third movies, making his total net worth increase substantially to $350 million.
22. Clint Eastwood – $375 Million
Clinton Eastwood Jr. is a well-known Western TV and film star and was a cultural icon of masculinity, known as the ‘King of Western films.’
He rose to international fame in the mid-1960s with his role as the Man with No Name and gained even more notoriety in the 1970s as the character Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films.
Eastwood’s roles both in front of the camera and behind it have helped him to the financial status he has today ($375 million).
21. Tom Hanks – $400 Million
Tom Hanks’ world total box office gross is approximately $9.7 billion.
He gained major recognition in 1988 for his role in the hit movie Big and afterward, was successful in landing more roles in many notable films such as Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Cast Away, Toy Story, and Private Ryan.
Between 1988 and 2010 alone, he earned a substantial $300 million in movie salary on his way to a $400 million net worth.
20. Sylvester Stallone – $400 Million
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Between 1970 and 2012, Stallone earned $300 million in base salaries from the movies he had starred in. He also earned money as a screenwriter, producer, and director to obtain a net worth of $400 million.
19. Penn and Teller – $400 Million
Penn and Teller, the magi duo with a Las Vegas residency have amazed audiences on their way to a combined net worth of $400 million.
They have a headlining show in Las Vegas and they have starred in their own television series Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and Penn & Teller: Tell a Lie.
They act as a duo, Penn being the presenter and Teller being the quiet assistant, using mime and nonverbal communication. Penn and Teller each are currently valued at a massive $175 million each.
18. Jennifer Lopez – $400 Million
Jennifer Lopez debuted her designer clothing line, JLO, and a fragrance, Glow by J. Lo. in 2005. JLo was paid $15 million to star in Monster-In-Law and she made $12 million per year as a judge on American Idol.
She makes an annual salary of roughly $40 million. Between her many jobs, Lopez has brought in a staggering net worth of $400 million.
17. Jackie Chan – $400 Million
Jackie Chan (Chan Kong-sang) is very well-known for his skill in Kung-Fu, martial arts, and action movies as well as being known for doing his own daring stunts.
His ability to perform martial arts and act turned him into a sought-after actor, earning international notoriety.
He is well-known for the Rush Hour film franchise, which grossed a cumulative $845 million globally.
Chan also owns a range of other production companies and a chain of cinemas throughout China. He also launched his own clothing line and a range of food products that have ballooned his bank accounts to $400 million.
16. Jack Nicholson – $400 Million
Jack Nicholson has earned millions of dollars in movie salaries and a significant portion of his net worth is attributable to a $100 million real estate portfolio, owning at least a dozen properties in the United States, and an art collection worth $150 million.
The actor, art, and real estate speculator have taken his earnings and invested his way to a $400 million net worth.
15. Brock Pierce $400 Million
Brock Pierce, the former Disney child actor, known for his work in the cryptocurrency industry, has a net worth of $400 million. He is running for Presidency in the US as an independent candidate for the 2020 election.
Brock’s Bitcoin stake has been worth as much as $1 billion. Pierce holds more than 95% of his net worth in cryptocurrencies and has become a crypto entrepreneur and venture capitalist who’s now the chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation.
14. Bill Cosby – $400 Million
Bill Cosby is best known for creating and starring in ‘The Cosby Show’, and was the highest-paid television actor in the world during the peak of the sitcom.
His base salary for the show was $1 million per episode, but when he’s producing, creator, syndication, and various other income streams were totaled he earned $4 million per episode.
He also owned 20% of the show’s equity which generated hundreds of millions in syndication royalties over the last several decades sending his net worth to $400 million.
13. Arnold Schwarznegger – $400 Million
Arnold Schwarzenegger has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in film salaries and at the peak of his career, he was earning $20-30 million per movie.
In the 1970s, he spent a majority of his earnings on a variety of investments, notably real estate. His real estate portfolio alone is worth over $100 million, pushing his current net worth to $400 million.
12. Mel Gibson – $425 Million
Mel Gibson owns one of the more successful film production companies and has many icon film roles he’s earned millions for filming.
He is best known for his breakout role as Max in the post-apocalyptic action series Mad Max and as Martin Riggs in the cop film series Lethal Weapon.
He earned his first $1 million paychecks in 1985 from Mad Max and he began producing and directing in 1989 when he formed Icon Productions, earning around $400 – $475 million from Passion Of The Christ.
11. Ryan Seacrest – $450 Million
Ryan Seacrest is one of the most hard-working men in show business. The host of the iconic American Idol show and American Top 40 radio host has earned his massive net worth ($450 million).
He became a permanent fixture as the co-host of ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’ in 2017. Every year Ryan earns $60 – $80 million from his entertainment and entrepreneurial empire.
10. Dr Phil – $460 Million
Dr. Phil (Phil McGraw) is one of the highest-paid personalities on television, owns 100% of his show content, and earns $60 – $90 million annually.
Dr. Phil, at his peak, was earning $88 million per year and average annual income from the show was around $80 million. That makes it easy to understand how he’s reached to a whopping net worth of $460 million.
9. The Olsen Twins – $500 Million
The Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have appeared on the Forbes celebrity 100 lists since the year 2002 with a whopping half a billion-dollar net worth ($500 million).
They are two of the richest actresses, even though they have not had major film or TV roles in more than 20 years.
Their acting career began at the age of six months in the role of Michelle Tanner on the ABC television sitcom Full House, which ran from 1987 to 1995.
Their wealth mainly comes from their multiple fashion lines and from the marketing of their company Dualstar.
8. Robert De Niro – $500 Million
Robert De Niro is considered one of cinema’s greatest actors due to the classic films he has starred in, such as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and The Godfather II.
He is also the co-founder of the highly-successful Nobu restaurant chain, which has more than 40 locations around the world.
The Nobu empire has generated several hundred million dollars in revenue every year for DeNiro, he made $250 to $300 million between 2004 and 2018 from expanding the Nobu empire.
Being a co-owner of The Greenwich Hotel in New York has also contributed to his massive $500 million net worth.
7. George Clooney – $500 Million
George Clooney has earned around $200 million due to being one of the most sought-after A-List actors in film and his roles in various television show prior.
He earned $40,000 per appearance on a tv show called “Sisters” and did 19 episodes for a total of $760,000, he also earned $100,000 per episode of “ER”, for a total of $11 million.
He had roles in numerous films that earned him millions; such as, $10 million for his single Batman appearance, $10 million for Out of Sight, $8 million for The Perfect Storm, $15 million for Intolerable Cruelty, $20 million for Ocean’s Eleven and $15 million for Ocean’s Thirteen. He also receives pay for endorsement and starring in commercials for Nespresso.
6. Tom Cruise – $570 Million
Tom Cruise started acting at the ripe age of 19 when he starred in a small role in the 1981 film Endless Love.
Risky Business in 1983, is when he became a big hit and he had another breakthrough in 1986 with his role of Lieutenant Pete in the action-drama film Top Gun.
He is most famous for his performance as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible film series, one of the highest-grossing film series of all time with over $2 billion worth of worldwide gross.
5. Simon Cowell – $600 Million
Simon Cowell is one of the most successful media personalities in music and television, earning $50 – $100 million from his various endeavors.
In June 2019 and June 2020 he earned $50 million but the vast majority of his earnings come from judging and producing three shows; “America’s Got Talent,” “Britain’s Got Talent,” and “The X-Factor.”
His peak salary for American Idol was $33 million per season. He earns an annual salary of $95 million, at the least.
4. Shahrukh Khan – $600 Million
Shahrukh Khan is an Indian actor known as the ‘King of Bollywood’ or ‘The Baadshah of Bollywood’ and has appeared in more than 80 Bollywood films.
He is the co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders and the Caribbean Premier League team Trinbago Knight Riders.
He makes a yearly salary of $72,727,000. He receives a considerable amount of media coverage in India and media reports claim that Khan makes $28 million to $35 million per film.
He can commonly be seen in television ads, print ads, and gigantic billboards in Indian cities.
3. Jacqueline Gold – $860 Million
Jacqueline Gold is an English businesswoman and actress who is best known for serving as Chief Executive of Gold Group International feminist companies Ann Summers and Knickerbox.
In March 2008, Gold appeared in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice, she has been the subject of several documentaries and has also appeared on the show Fortune–Million Pound Giveaway.
2. Jami Gertz – $3 Billion
Jami Gertz has gotten a vast majority of her net worth through her marriage to LA-based billionaire Tony Ressler (the co-founder of Apollo Global Management and Ares Management).
Her husband’s firm combined has over $436 billion worth of assets.
Jami first gained recognition from appearing in popular 80s shows; such as “Diff’rent Strokes”, “The Facts of Life” and “Family Ties”.
She began the film in the 1980s and co-starred in Sixteen Candles. Ressler owns an estimated 33% of the firm’s equity. Jami married financier Antony Ressler in 1989.
1. Oprah Winfrey – $3.5 Billion
Oprah Winfrey is arguably the most influential woman on the planet and earns around $315 million per year thanks to her media empire which began in 1984 on behalf of ABC giving her a 30-minute morning talk show with a four-year, $1 million contract.
She owned 90% of HARPO, 1% of all of CBS in 1999, and a significant chunk of Disney stock due to a deal she made with ABC in the mid-1990s.
She has produced dozens of television shows, and documentaries, and has appeared in a number of major films including 1985’s The Color Purple, Beloved, The Butler, and Selma.
She became America’s first black female billionaire in 1999 and was earning $300 million annually producing her own show as well as Dr. Phil’s and Rachael Ray’s shows.
She has been a board member of Weight Watchers since 2015 and was awarded $43.5 million worth of equity after signing on with them, which has grown to be more than $400 million in 2019 she signed a multi-year deal with Apple to produce shows for the tech giant.
Top 50 Richest Actors of All Time (Rankings)
Final Words
I think that having a celebrity status has helped to skyrocket these high earners to extreme wealth, but it also goes to say that marriage into wealth and using status to build an empire has really helped some more than others.
If you enjoyed the article it’d be greatly appreciated if you could comment or share the article. Cheers.
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Hi, I am Kunika and as you can guess, I love numbers. I started Browsed Magazine to share interesting numbers behind celeb’s net worth, the most expensive stuff around, and top lists that’ll take you in for a surprise.