The list of the highest-paid actors in 2024 has been revealed, and in a surprising twist, only one woman made the cut. While the top three earners stand far ahead of the rest, the overall rankings have left many puzzled.
10. Will Smith — $26 million
Will Smith narrowly secured 10th place, surpassing Mariska Hargitay, who earned $25 million. His earnings were largely thanks to Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the fourth installment of the franchise, which grossed $404.2 million worldwide on a $100 million budget.
9. Adam Sandler — $26 million
Sandler’s payday came mainly from Netflix’s Spaceman, a film that cost the streaming giant $40 million. He also has Happy Gilmore 2 in the works, which is expected to add to his earnings in the future.
8. Nicole Kidman — $31 million
The only woman on the list, Kidman had a stellar year, earning $31 million from projects like Babygirl, A Family Affair, and Netflix’s Spellbound. She also appeared in three TV series, cementing her status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.
7. George Clooney — $31 million
Clooney starred alongside Brad Pitt in Wolfs and also featured in IF. Though some rumors suggested he and Pitt were each paid $35 million for Wolfs, Clooney clarified that his earnings were significantly lower.
6. Brad Pitt — $32 million
Like Clooney, Pitt starred in Wolfs and also produced eight films, including Wolfs. He grossed $42 million in total, making $5 million more than Clooney.
5. Hugh Jackman — $50 million
Jackman’s return as Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine proved incredibly lucrative. The film grossed over $1.3 billion, with a production budget of $200 million, contributing to his $66 million total earnings.
4. Jerry Seinfeld — $60 million
Seinfeld added to his fortune by directing and starring in Netflix’s Unfrosted, a parody about the invention of Pop-Tarts. His high earnings left many social media users shocked, with one asking, “How is Jerry Seinfeld still making so much money?”
3. Kevin Hart — $81 million
Hart had an incredibly busy year, earning $108 million in total from projects including Borderland, the comedy series Die Hart, and his Spotify podcast. He also performed 90 stand-up shows and appeared in commercials for DraftKings and Chase.
2. Ryan Reynolds — $85 million
Reynolds dominated 2024 with Deadpool & Wolverine, where he served as the lead actor, producer, and co-writer. He also starred in John Krasinski’s IF, produced Welcome to Wrexham for Hulu, and worked on his wife Blake Lively’s film It Ends With Us.
1. Dwayne Johnson — $88 million
Topping the list, Johnson grossed $103 million, largely due to Amazon’s Red One, one of the biggest streaming deals ever, reportedly worth $50 million. He also took on major producer roles, including for Moana 2, which surpassed $1 billion at the box office.
Despite Johnson’s success, some social media users questioned his earnings, with one tweeting, “I must be old. Never watched a film with The Rock all the way through.”
