It’s no shock that anyone in the entertainment industry gets paid the big bucks. The bigger the fame, the bigger the bank account. And while we gush about our favorite actors on the small and big screen, it might be a shock to learn just how much each one of them makes each year. For the year alone, let’s see who are the highest paid actors ’24?
The ones that have more screen time than others, or have a long history of great hits, will earn more than others. You might not see new faces, but you’ll definitely recognize a few of these names, from Brad Pitt to Ryan Gosling.
10. Will Smith, $25, Million
Of course, with such a long history in from of the camera, Will Smith is one of the highest paid actors ’24 has seen. The actor, rapper, and film producer started his career early on in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for six seasons.
Some of his top performances can be seen in Men in Black, I Am Legend, and Independence Day. As for 2024 performances, he was back in his iconic role as Mike Lowrey in Bad Boys.
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9. Brad Pitt, $30 Million
Speaking of a history of amazing performances, Brad Pitt is known as one of the best actors right now. His first performance was in the Ridley Scott film Thelma & Louise as a cowboy hitchhiker and would go on to star in huge productions like Fight Club, Moneyball, and Fury.
He was busy in 2024, which led to him being one of the highest paid actors for 2024 with his role in Wolfs and producing several pieces from Nickel Boys to episodes in Outer Range.
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8. Ben Affleck, $38 Million
Next on the list of this year’s highest paid actors is Ben Affleck. The actor and filmmaker gained recognition when he and Matt Damon wrote and starred in Good Will Hunting.
Since then, he’s been astounding in Argo, Gone Girl, and The Last Duel. As of 2024, he’s not starred in anything but has helped produce three films: Unstoppable, The Instigators, and Small Things Like These.
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7. Jason Statham, $41 Million
Most recognized for his performances in The Fast and Furious franchise, Jason Statham is on the list of highest paid actors in ’24.
The English actor and producer often plays the tough, gritty, and violent character in various action and thriller movies, with his first recognized performance being in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. As for 2024, he has starred as Adam Clay in The Beekeeper and as himself in the short World of Tanks: Holiday Ops.
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6. Leonardo DiCaprio, $42 Million
Another iconic star in Hollywood with an abundance of brilliant roles and characters is Leonardo DiCaprio. The actor and film producer started out appearing in TV commercials and soon earned roles in the sitcom Parenthood, and then This Boy’s Life. From there he’s known for his iconic roles in The Great Gatsby, The Wolf of Wall Street, Titanic, and Killers of the Flower Moon.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see any new roles with him on the big screen, except for his role as executive producer for Checkpoint Zoo, with his amazing filmography, there’s no wonder how he’s one of the highest paid actors this year.
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5. Matt Damon, $43 Million
Coming back to Matt Damon, who was the highest-grossing star in 2010, we have the fifth entry for highest paid actors in 2024. Damon’s acting debut was in Mystic Pizza, but his career really took off, like Affleck’s, with Good Will Hunting.
He now can be recognized most with his role in the Bourne franchise, The Martian, The Departed, and The Last Duel. Similar to Affleck, he did not star in any new roles but took part in producing three movies: Unstoppable, The Instigators, and Small Things Like These.
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4. Ryan Gosling, $43 Million
After 2023, Ryan Gosling’s name has been everywhere. The beloved actor not only has the label of one of the highest paid actors ’24 has seen, but the perfect Ken. Though, before then, he started his acting career at an early age on The All New Mickey Mouse Club, and then went to Goosebumps.
Soon he hit it big with The Notebook, which leads us to his brilliant roles in La La Land and Barbie. For 2024 though, we follow Gosling as Colt Seavers in Fall Guy.
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3. Tom Cruise, $45 Million
Tom Cruise is a crazy actor and is one of the highest paid actors ’24 has as well. The man who does his own stunts has earned a place among the best actors ever thanks to his brilliant work in Top Gun, Rain Man, and Risky Business. He’s also the face of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
But while there wasn’t any new content for him this year, his record for most consecutive $100-milllion-grossing movies from 2012 to 2018 helped him keep one of the top spots on the list.
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2. Dwayne Johnson, $50 Million
Dwayne Johnson is many things: a professional wrestler, a businessman, and one of the highest paid actors of ’24. While he began as a professional wrestler, he moved towards acting during the 2000s with his roles in The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King.
The start was slow, but soon, he saw roles in the Fast and Furious franchise, in the DCU as Black Adam, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level, and more recently, the Moana series. And with 2024 came the second Moana where he reprised his role as Maui, as well as a leading role as Callum Drift in Red One, which earned him one of the top positions on the list.
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1. Adam Sandler, $73 Million
Last, but certainly not least, is the number one spot for highest paid actors ’24 has, which is Adam Sandler. The man is a legend in many ways. While some might not enjoy his movies, no one can argue that he’s done very well for himself.
The actor and comedian mainly plays the comedic leading character in his movies. He started as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and eventually moved to movies. His first couple of roles were in Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, and has since been in several hilarious movies.
He’s also shown his diversity with more serious pieces like The Meyerowitz Stories and Uncut Gems. In his most recent movie, Spaceman, he stars in as Jakub Prochazka as an astronaut on a solo mission on the edge of the solar system.