The World's Highest-Paid Actors and Actresses

[Maximus Rex]

The Actresses

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emjl45eddhj/18-natalie-portman/

18. Natalie Portman, $6 million

Natalie Portman has pocketed paychecks from movies such as Thor: The Dark World to pursue passion projects like an adaptation of Amos Oz' book A Tale of Love and Darkness, which marked her writing and directorial debut. The Dior fragrance model is busy with several other small films, including Knight of Cups with Christian Bale.

16. Mila Kunis, $6.5 million

Grossing just a little more than its $176 million budget, Jupiter Ascending was an expensive misfire for Warner Bros. but still earned star Mila Kunis seven figures. The voice of Meg on Family Guy moonlights as a brand ambassador for Gemfields jewelry.

16. Emma Stone, $6.5 million

Emma Stone this year saw critical acclaim for small, award-worthy films such as Birdman and Irrational Man over major box office successes. Her Bradley Cooper rom-com Aloha may have flopped, but upfront pay and a Revlon deal kept her earnings afloat.

13. Sandra Bullock, $8 million

Sandra Bullock, last year's Highest-Paid Actress, sees her payday drop to $8 million from $51 million after a quiet 12 months. She voiced Scarlett Overkill in the animated hit Minions and is set to star in Our Brand Is Crisis, a George Clooney-produced remake of documentary about political campaign strategies in South America.

13. Amanda Seyfried, $8 million

A newcomer to the Highest-Paid Actresses list, Amanda Seyfried joins the elite club with roles in Ted 2 and Pan, plus Givenchy and Clé de Peau Beauté endorsements.

13. Meryl Streep, $8 million

The most nominated actress of all time, Meryl Streep has an enviable career working consistently to balance smaller, award-worthy films like Suffragette with more mainstream fare such as Into The Woods.

While reviews were mixed for Into the Woods, popcorn chewers didn’t mind: it earned $172 million at the global box office on a $50 million budget.

12. Gwyneth Paltrow, $9 million

Gwyneth Paltrow made more money from endorsements than films this year, starring in campaigns for Hugo Boss and Max Factor. A self-styled lifestyle guru, her weekly newsletter, Goop, offers reader suggestion on everything from making fried chicken to breaking bad habits.

11. Cameron Diaz, $11 million

Sex Tape may have flopped, but Cameron Diaz still earns her regular spot on the highest-paid actresses ranking thanks to fixed compensation for roles such as The Other Woman and Annie, plus a long-standing Tag Heuer deal.

9. Kristen Stewart, $12 million

Post-Twilight, Kristen Stewart has been working hard to prove herself as a credible actress beyond Bella. The Chanel model's recent flicks include The Clouds of Sils Maria and Julianne Moore-fronted Still Alice; after American Ultra she's set to star in Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk alongside Vin Diesel.

9. Anne Hathaway, $12 million

The voice of Jewel in the big budget animation Rio 2, Anne Hathaway is set to star in Alice Through the Looking Glass, Tim Burton's 2016 Alice in Wonderland sequel.

 

[Maximus Rex]

8. Reese Witherspoon, $15 million

Reese Witherspoon has had a phenomenal run of late, cop comedy flop Hot Pursuit not withstanding. Frustrated by a shortage of rich roles for women, Witherspoon formed a production company with producer Bruna Papadena to buy the rights to novels with strong female leads. First up was 2013’s Gone Girl ($368 million worldwide gross), which the duo co-produced, and the two-time Oscar nominated Wild ($52 million worldwide gross), which Witherspoon produced and starred in. A slew of new production and acting credits help her rejoin the list since dropping off in 2011.

7. Angelina Jolie, $15 million

Another regular on the ranking, Angelina Jolie has been spending more time behind the camera, writing, directing and starring in forthcoming drama By The Sea with husband Brad Pitt. A vocal advocate for human rights, Jolie is special envoy for the U.N. on refugee issue.

6. Julia Roberts, $16 million

Julia Roberts returns to the ranking thanks largely to beauty and fashion deals with Lancome, Givenchy and Calzedonia. No longer a guaranteed hit maker, Roberts now picks and chooses the films she wants to make such as The Secret in Their Eyes, a remake of the 2009 Oscar-winning Argentinian film, which also stars Nicole Kidman.

5. Jennifer Aniston, $16.5 million

Jennifer Aniston is one of several list mainstays who makes fewer movies but still earns from endorsements. Her two films in our scoring period--indie flick Cake and comedy Horrible Bosses 2--grossed just $108.6 million combined. Eleven years after Friends ended, Aniston makes bank shilling for Aveeno, SmartWater and Living Proof.

4. Bingbing Fan, $21 million

The only non-American on the international ranking is Bingbing Fan, who joins the highest-paid thanks to roles in movies such as The White-Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom and endorsements with Chopard and L'Oreal. She is likely best-known to U.S. cinema-goers for her role in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

3. Melissa McCarthy, $23 million

The Bridesmaids star has proven her ability to carry movies solo--2015's Spy and 2014's Tammy grossed a combined $335 million worldwide and propelled her to her largest ever annual paycheck. Now McCarthy is turning to fashion, launching an all-sizes clothing line. “I started to think if I could do anything to build women up rather than the constant tear down I’m going to do it,” McCarthy told FORBES.

2. Scarlett Johansson, $35.5 million

Scarlett Johansson's reputation--and reimbursement--is on the rise. Through commercial Marvel fare such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and her first solo action hero role in Lucy, which grossed $459 million, Johansson has proven she is a box office draw. As a leading woman, she commands over $10 million a movie, while reports place her fee for forthcoming thriller Ghost in the Shell at $17.5 million. Johansson boosts her movie money with Dolce & Gabbana and Sodastream endorsements.

1. Jennifer Lawrence, $52 million

Jennifer Lawrence earns more than any other actress thanks to her signature role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games trilogy. Those films proved Lawrence's box office brawn as a female action hero and helped her negotiate a very favorable share of the more recent films' profits. Outside Panem, Lawrence is reuniting with her Silver Linings Playbook costar, Bradley Cooper, for the comedic drama Joy. Lawrence supplements her silver screen income with a lucrative Dior contract.

 

[BangEm_Bart]

Scust @ Kristen Stewart. I don't like that bitch.

 

[CracceR]

see with the women its alot more obvious

theres not one brown girl on the list, all white except my yellow bish bingbing

but these bishes also make the most money atm

 

[BangEm_Bart]

And some are shitty actresses.

 

[Maximus Rex]

I predict that in in five to seven years, that Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill will be on the list with Affleck being in the number one spot.

 

[Babaaa]

This bitch named Bingbing lol

 

[Maximus Rex]

Jesus @ RDJ I thought the Rock was gonna be #1.

How? RDJ has been playing Tony Stark in top grossing films for nearly a decade, plus other endorsements. The Rock has done WWE, some films, and G.I. Joe.

 

[Maximus Rex]

so the rock, will smith, vin diesel, jackie chan and all these other chinese and bollywood actors are white?

With the exception of the Fresh Prince, the Rock and Vin Diesel are lighter have a lighter complexion. With the Dotheads, they're all the light skinned Dotheads, the dark skinned Dotheads don't get any love, so BangEm_Bart is right when he says that white privilege is real.

 

[texasdaking88]

White women age terribly

 

[vagrant-718]

so jlaw makes more than #3-33 on the men list and the bitch complaining?

 

[Recaptimus_Prime360]

That women's list is depressing. I can see inequality in pay. Smh.

Indian muthafuccas is caking up more than Sara Lee. Damn.

Soooooo SLJ ain't make the list???

 

[Mister B.]

I see no black women on that list. Fuck THAT list.

White women age terribly

Word to Cameron Diaz. In 10 years, she's goin look that chick from the Muppets in the band.

 

[Recaptimus_Prime360]

RDJ did his deal. Get that back end money. That's where the real money to be made is at

 

[Angeles1son85]

Damn Melissa McCarthy seem like she came.outta no where lol

 

[atribecalledgabi]

so jlaw makes more than #3-33 on the men list and the bitch complaining?

Nigga if you're the top in your field in one state and the person who's the top in the same field in another state makes almost double what you make, you wouldn't say shit about it?

Granted there are many other factors why that is but still...

 

[Big Kola]

Jennifer Lawrence box office speaks for itself, when she puts out a movie it either kills the box office or gets an academy award nomination.

 

[MrCrookedLetter]

White women age like bar soap

 

[The Lonious Monk]

so jlaw makes more than #3-33 on the men list and the bitch complaining?

Nigga if you're the top in your field in one state and the person who's the top in the same field in another state makes almost double what you make, you wouldn't say shit about it?

Granted there are many other factors why that is but still...

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. The chick's problem is that she is the top woman in pay and she makes a shit load less than RDJ who is the top male. I can see the inequality in the list, but her argument is off. RDJ has more history in the biz, is a better actor, is the premier actor in a more profitable franchise, and is more established in general. The assumption that gender is the reason he makes more than her is baseless.

 

[Ghostdenithegawd]

Surprised by the men side