Top 10 Richest Actors In The World

The movie business is probably one of the most lucrative industries in the world and at the top of the industry are the actors. Many actors have established themselves as leading men with the capability of driving audiences to the theater. This also allows them to draw big paychecks and lucrative endorsement deals. So, check out which actors have earned the most to bag a spot in this list of richest actors in the world. 

10. Adam Sandler - $440 Million

Adam Sandler is an American actor, comedian, and producer with a net worth of $440 million as of 2024. Sandler has had a successful movie career, starring in close to 50 movies with 20 of them paying Sandler more than $20 million, making him one of the highest-paid actors. Sandler also gets a back-end deal on his movies to earn a share of the profit, further contributing to his massive net worth. Additionally, Sandler struck a $250 million deal with Netflix for four movies in 2014 which was again renewed in 2017. Additionally, Sandler also has a real estate portfolio worth $50-$60 million.

9. Kevin Hart - $450 Million

Kevin Hart is an American comedian and producer with an estimated net worth of $450 million as of 2024. Hart has had a lucrative career as an entertainer, earning around $70 million a year while touring and approximately $190 million altogether from touring as of 2022. Hart also bagged big paychecks from movies including a $30 million salary for his appearance in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in 2017. While Hart has made decent revenue from his career as a comedian and actor in Hollywood, Hart’s endorsements and business ventures have also helped him earn a significant amount. Hart’s capital venture firm, HartBeat Ventures, a production company called HartBeat Productions with a current valuation of $650 million, a tequila brand named “Gran Coramino”, and a plant-based restaurant, Hart House. Hart has also endorsed many brands including Fabletics, Draftkings, Chase, and SiriusXM.

8. Robert De Niro - $500 Million

One of the most acclaimed actors in Hollywood, Robert De Niro has a net worth of $500 million as of 2024. With an average salary of $20 million per movie, De Niro’s highest paycheck was $25 million which he earned for starring in the 2019 movie “The Irishman”. He is also the co-founder of the Nobu restaurant chain along with Nobu Matushisa, which currently includes more than 40 locations internationally and generates an annual revenue of $250 million. De Niro owns a 30% stake in the company which is valued at around $160 million and also earns $10 million as profit every year. Additionally, De Niro also has a real estate portfolio worth $170 million.

7. George Clooney - $500 Million 

George Clooney is an actor and philanthropist with an estimated net worth of around $500 million. Clooney has had a lucrative acting career, earning an average of $20 million per movie with his highest paycheck coming from the Ocean's series, earning Clooney a whopping $50 million. Clooney has also made bank with his endorsement deals, earning close to $40 million alone from his partnership with Nespresso and endorsing other brands including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Martini and Rossi, and Norwegian bank DnB. Clooney also made a good chunk of money after selling his tequila brand "Casamigos" to Diageo in 2017, taking home $150 million post-taxes.

6. Tom Cruise - $600 Million

Considered to be the biggest superstar in Hollywood, Tom Cruise is an actor and producer with a net worth of around $600 million as of 2024. Cruise's majority of wealth comes from his career as a leading man in Hollywood movies, amassing a total revenue of $749 million till 2019. Some of the biggest paychecks received by Tom Cruise come from his two movies, 2000's Mission Impossible 2 and 2005's War of the Worlds. Cruise went on to earn a sweet paycheck of $100 million for both movies, thanks to the backend deals. Apart from his acting career, Cruise is also a producer on many of his movies through his Cruise/Wagner productions, which happens to be a major reason behind Cruise's significant wealth.

5. Shah Rukh Khan - $730 Million

The richest Indian actor to date, Shah Rukh Khan, better known as SRK, has an estimated net worth of around $730 million as of 2024. While SRK has generated a humongous wealth from his acting career spanning over three decades, SRK's multiple business ventures have helped him earn the title of the richest Indian actor. SRK is estimated to earn around $30 million from his movie along with backend deals. Through his production house, Red Chillies Productions, SRK has produced many films and has also funded his projects. Apart from the movie business, SRK's endorsement strategy has earned him a good chunk of wealth, with the Indian actor reportedly endorsing around 27 brands at a time. SRK is also an active businessman with investments in real estate and cricket teams which include Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League.

4. Dwayne Johnson - $800 Million

American actor and former wrestler, Dwayne Johnson has a current net worth of $800 million. Johnson gained popularity from his stint as a wrestler in WWE and leveraged his fame to transition to a movie career quickly. Throughout his career, Johnson has earned an average of $20 million per movie with him drawing his highest paycheck for the movie “Red One” worth $50 million. Through his Seven Bucks Productions, founded along with his wife Dany Garcia, Johnson also acts as a producer on many of his movies, further contributing to his wealth. 

However, despite having a lucrative movie career, Johnson’s majority of wealth comes from his liquor brand Tereman Tequila, which is currently the highest-valued celebrity alcohol brand with an estimated worth of $3- $3.5 billion as of 2024. Johnson also has other deals to keep the cash flowing, including a $30 million contract with WWE to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and a $25 million deal for his clothing line “Project Rock” with Under Armour. 

3. Arnold Schwarzenegger - $1 Billion

Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, and politician, Arnold has an estimated net worth of $1 billion as of 2024. Arnold has a long list of revenue streams. After establishing himself as one of the most successful bodybuilders, Schwarzenegger transitioned to a movie career, earning $20 - $30 million per movie at the peak of his career. His biggest paycheck came from the smash hit movie "Twins" for which he refused an upfront salary and instead owned 40% of the film along with two other actors, earning him a sweet paycheck of $35 million. While Schwarzenegger has earned an estimated $400 million from his movie career alone, his 5% stake in an investment firm called Dimensional Fund Advisors is also a major contributor to his wealth, with the firm managing close to $700 billion worth of assets. Finally, there's Schwarzenegger's real estate portfolio which is currently valued at around $100 million.

2. Jerry Seinfeld - $1.1 Billion

Jerry Seinfeld is an American comedian and actor with a current net worth of $1.1 billion. While Seinfeld earns an average of $20 million in his touring years, most of his net worth comes from his television show “Seinfeld”, which has generated over $4 billion in revenue to date. Seinfield commanded a hefty salary while the show was on, earning a total of $60 million till the show ended. However, he along with co-creator Larry David also had an ownership stake of 15%, allowing Seinfeld to bring home around $800 million. Not to mention his additional earnings of $450 million from syndication deals for the show. Seifnields's billionaire status also reflects on his personal life, owning an impressive fleet of cars worth a total of around $50 million. Overall, the show, along with his standup specials, keeps contributing to Seinfeld's massive empire of $1.1 billion. 

1. Tyler Perry - $1.4 Billion

American actor, comedian, producer, screenwriter, playwright, and filmmaker, Tyler Perry is the richest actor with a net worth of $1.4 billion as of 2024. While Tyler Perry is not exactly a bonafide Hollywood superstar, his wise decision to own most of his works has earned him a significant fortune. Perry initially started by writing musicals like "I Know I've Been Changed" from which he generated around $130 million including ticket sales and merchandise. Perry quickly transitioned to a movie career where he acted, wrote, and directed the "Madea" movies which have earned close to $750 million at the box office. All 14 movies in the franchise were made for less than $10 million each, earning Perry a profit of at least $350 million. What solidified Perry's billionaire status is a 330-acre studio unveiled in 2019, with big producers like Marvel and Netflix as customers. Finally, Perry has a $150 million per year contract with ViacomCBS for content creation. 

The top richest actors in the world have one thing in common, diversification. While many actors listed might not be outright superstars, their wise decisions and investments have earned them the title of a multi-millionaire.