The 10 highest-paid actors of 2016
Forbes magazine has released its 2016 list of highest-paid actors.
If you’re a Bollywood fan, you already know the man who comes in at No. 10: Akshay Kumar, who logged three bona-fide box-office hits during the Forbes scoring period, earning him $31.5 million.
Akshay Kumar: Bollywood hot rod
Kumar reportedly supplements his earnings with lucrative endorsements for companies such as Honda motorcycles.
9. Robert Downey Jr.
Cry not for Iron Man. Yes, the actor’s earnings dropped 58 percent compared with the same period last year. But last year’s highest earner still brought home $33 million.
Robert Downey Jr.: Iron is still gold
Downey still earns plenty of money from his past turns as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also endorses a smartphone company in Asia.
8. Shah Rukh Khan
If you haven’t yet met the reigning king of the Bollywood box office, here’s your introduction. This actor raked in $33 million in Forbes’s latest survey.
Shah Rukh Khan: Mega-endorser
Along with his hit films (for which he is known for charging large up-front fees) he reportedly endorses dozens of brands.
7. Vin Diesel
A Facebook following of more than 100 million illustrates just how popular this actor is. So does his latest earnings figure: $35 million.
Vin Diesel: Franchise-fueled
Diesel’s success is powered in large part by the ongoing success of the Fast and Furious franchise ... as well as a certain wildly popular, tree-like character he voiced for “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
6. Ben Affleck
So “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” may have been savaged by critics, but the reviews haven’t hurt Ben Affleck’s wallet one bit: He made $43 million during the Forbes survey period.
Ben Affleck: Superhero-sized payday
Just how much did “Batman v Superman” make worldwide? More than $870 million–not a misprint–and Affleck reportedly earned both upfront fees and backend profits from that one film.
5. Johnny Depp
Damning accusations from Amber Heard (and a reported $7 million divorce settlement) have done little to dent Depp’s bank account. He earned $48 million during Forbes’s survey period.
Johnny Depp: Pirate booty
An eight-figure up-front fee for his next “Pirates of the Caribbean” adventure (and the second installment of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland franchise) reportedly kept Depp among the top Hollywood earners.
4. Tom Cruise
The “Mission Impossible” franchise continues to fuel Cruise’s income, which is estimated at $53 million during the latest Forbes survey.
Tom Cruise: Mission not-so-impossible
Just how big is his M:I franchise? It’s made a staggering $2.8 billion worldwide.
3. Matt Damon
Yes, you may partially credit the return of Jason Bourne for Damon’s reported $55 million year. But let’s not forget the planet-sized payday of another recent hit, too ...
3. Matt Damon: A paycheck the size of Mars
... and that movie is “The Martian,” a film so popular it grossed a hefty $630.1 million on an asteroid-sized budget of $108 million.
2. Jackie Chan
Chan’s $61 million income further indicates what moviemakers worldwide already know: that Chinese ticket-buyers are enjoying increasing influence.
Jackie Chan: Behind-the-camera success
Yes, Chan earns big bank thanks to his action films, but his role as a producer is also keeping him in the black.
1. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
You’re looking at the Hollywood action hero of the 21st century ... at least, so far. The former wrestler earned a stunning $64.5 million during the latest Forbes survey period.
Dwayne Johnson: Rock-solid bank account
Up next for the prolific Johnson is (yes, really) an action-comedy movie version of the ‘90s TV hit “Baywatch.”