Are you an aspiring director who is currently planning your film debut? Have you written a screenplay with your dream cast in mind? Well, in Hollywood, it’s the money that does most of the talking so you better get acquainted with your stars and how much their paycheck will be.
You don’t want to run into what James L. Brooks just did which was to spend half the movie budget on the actors by casting Jack Nicholson, Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd.
As we gear up for 2011, here are the highest paid stars of 2010!
Johnny Depp
What he Makes: $75 Million
Yes, he’s hot. Even when he’s made to look ugly, like in the recent Alice in Wonderland, you can’t resist that bone structure and haunting eyes. But before we get too enamored with his looks, let’s not forget that he’s turned in skillful performances in movies ranging from Ed Wood to Pirates of the Caribbean. And his movies have brought in billions. Billions for movies = millions for the star.
Ben Stiller
What he makes: $53 Million
In his movies, he’s often ridiculed, put down and emotionally humiliated by more powerful characters. And boy does he get paid for it. This sometimes director, most-often comic actor is a consistent draw at the box office, and his movies, from Zoolander to Meet The Parents to the Night At The Museum series all continue to make billions globally. While it must feel shameful sometimes, kudos to you Mr. Stiller for finding exactly what audiences want to see you in and never deviating from that track.
Tom Hanks
What he makes: $45 Million
The oldest person on the list, Tom Hanks is like our favorite uncle. He’s reliable, a better conversationalist than our parents and is exceedingly fun to be around. He also knows how to pick projects as both a successful actor (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump) and film producer (From the Earth to The Moon). Even duds like Angels and Demons makes money because people can’t get enough of him. In our opinion, he deserves much more.
Adam Sandler
What he makes: $40 Million
It’s hard not to like this guy. He’s willing to make fun of himself, he’s childish, and he’s got a sentimental side. His movies are rarely great (aside from the classic The Wedding Singer), but never terrible (even Mr. Deeds is OK), and are watchable whenever you need a quick laugh. Even the universally hated Grown Ups made $270 Million internationally. With this kind of track record, his paycheck is not surprising at all.
Leonardo DiCaprio
What he makes: $28 Million
In a surprisingly large dip from 4th to 5th place, Leo only gets paid about half of what Ben Stiller makes! But then again, he does endeavor to make more ‘serious’ pictures like The Aviator and Revolutionary Road. And above all, he’s proven himself as a great actor, a smart chooser of projects and audiences know that they will be getting a quality movie-going experience with this guy. If $28 Million can keep him afloat, it’s our bargain.
Who almost made the cut? Robert Downey Jr. ($22 Million) is inching his way up the ladder, while Tom Cruise (also 22 Million) seems to be slowly fading. Brad Pitt ($20 Million) is 1 million larger than his buddy and frequent co-star George Clooney ($19 Million). Daniel Radcliffe ($25 Million) is doing well now, but whether or not he maintains his income remains to be seen post-Potter. When you bunch up all of these numbers, it’s hard not to be amazed that so much money is spent on our stars every year – but that’s entertainment.
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