The list of Hollywood’s elite earners for 2023 has been unveiled, with some familiar faces and a few surprises topping the highest paid actors rankings.
At the summit is Tom Cruise, pocketing an astounding $100 million payday according to insider estimates. The prolific action star continues demonstrating his box office prowess, with the latest installments of his Mission: Impossible franchise solidifying his status as a consistent draw.
Close behind is Will Smith at $35 million and Leonardo DiCaprio at $30 million. Both actors have built reputations transcending regional popularity, starring in critically-acclaimed and globally successful films that have cemented their places among the most bankable movie stars worldwide.
Rounding out the top 5 are Brad Pitt ($30 million) and Dwayne Johnson ($22.5 million). Pitt remains a consistent box office performer, while Johnson has parlayed his wrestling fame into a myriad of lucrative acting roles and entrepreneurial ventures.
Other notable names making the highest paid list include Ryan Reynolds ($20 million), Chris Hemsworth ($20 million), Vin Diesel ($20 million), Tom Hardy ($20 million) and Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix ($20 million).
Industry experts note these astronomical figures derive from a mix of upfront salaries, profit participation deals, producing fees, endorsements and leveraging of their celebrity brand power across multimedia platforms.
However, the landscape is shifting with the rise of streaming giants like Netflix wooing marquee talent with more lucrative upfront deals in lieu of lengthy negotiations over backend profiting sharing.
As the earnings continue soaring, so does the pressure for these A-listers to maintain dizzying levels of success at the box office and wield their considerable influence responsibly, serving as cultural icons beyond just entertainers.
The gender pay disparity also remains a contentious issue. Though strides have been made through highly-publicized activism by the TIME’S UP initiative, pay equality for actresses still lags behind their male counterparts.
For those managing to summit the biggest blockbuster peaks, the rewards are extraordinary. But such rarefied air comes with extraordinary expectations in a town where stars rises and fall with their latest release’s fortunes.