Undoubtedly, 2025 has certainly been a year of surprises. Several films that were initially expected to perform well turned out to be box office flops, while others that many thought would bomb ended up becoming near-billion-dollar hits. Don’t believe it? Just look at ‘A Minecraft Movie’ or ‘F1: The Movie.’
While the big screen is increasingly challenged by streaming platforms, the list of the highest-paid actors of last year offers a glimpse into a changing pattern in Hollywood. The names may not be the ones you would normally expect, but this only highlights the growing unpredictability of the industry.
In this list, we take a deep dive into the top 10 highest-paid actors of 2025, according to Forbes. Brace yourselves, there are a few major surprises ahead.
10. Millie Bobby Brown – $26 Million ($35 Million Gross)
For a kid who started off slinging Eggo waffles at interdimensional monsters in Hawkins, being named one of the top 10 highest-paid stars of 2025 marks quite the journey. Millie Bobby Brown has come a long way. At just 22, the British firecracker is the youngest star to make it into the top 10, thanks to her lucrative Netflix contract.
Apart from her brand deals, the majority of her earnings came from ‘Stranger Things‘, followed by her role in ‘The Electric State’ and the upcoming sequel to ‘Enola Holmes‘, scheduled to be released later this year.
Related: Millie Bobby Brown On Why Eleven’s Final Choice In ‘Stranger Things’ Felt Right
9. Daniel Craig – $27 Million ($32 MIllion Gross)
Even though the James Bond of the 21st century traded tuxedos for a very different role last year, Daniel Craig still made it into the top 10 without even shaking a single martini. The actor returned as Detective Benoit Blanc in the third installment of the ‘Knives Out‘ franchise, titled ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery‘, which premiered as a Netflix exclusive.
Beyond acting, Craig also earned from his role as a producer and is reportedly set to star in a future project based on ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’.
8. Jason Momoa – $28 Million ($33 Million Gross)
The ‘Aquaman‘ star earned a huge portion of his 2025 income from the highly successful box office run of the Minecraft video game adaptation, which was one of the highest-grossing films of last year and fell just short of the $1 billion mark. Besides starring in a blockbuster, Momoa is also reportedly set to play the anti-hero Lobo and star in the upcoming ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,’ part of James Gunn’s new DC Universe.
Outside his acting ventures, he runs several businesses, including Mananalu, which promotes environmentally friendly water bottles.
7. Jack Black – $28 Million ($33 Million Gross)
It seems Jack Black can do little wrong when it comes to performing on screen. A renowned comedian in his own right, Black has starred in several box office juggernauts, from ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘ and ‘King Kong‘ to voicing characters in major animated hits such as ‘Ice Age‘ and ‘Kung Fu Panda.’
However, last year marked another major milestone for Black. Like Jason Momoa, he starred in the commercially successful ‘A Minecraft Movie‘ and also appeared in Anaconda, an unexpected hit that became the second-highest-grossing film in the franchise, driving a significant portion of Black’s earnings in 2025.
6. Denzel Washington – $38 Million ($42 Million Gross)
A surprising entrant on the list, Denzel Washington earned almost $35 million from his 2025 crime thriller ‘Highest 2 Lowest‘, which received critical acclaim and even generated early Oscar buzz. Apart from this, Washington continues to earn residual income from older films such as ‘Malcolm X‘ and’ Training Day‘.
One of Hollywood’s veterans, Washington also works as a director and producer, which helps bring in additional income.
5. Brad Pitt – $41 Million ($54 Million Gross)
At 62, Brad Pitt experienced a career resurgence that few in the industry manage to pull off. In 2025, Pitt delivered an unexpected box office blockbuster in Joseph Kosinski’s Apple original high-octane sports drama ‘F1: The Movie‘, which earned more than $600 million worldwide. Pitt reportedly earned a significant share from the film’s success and is also set to star in the sequel to ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’, titled ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth‘, directed by David Fincher.
Besides acting, Pitt also earns from producing projects and several side businesses he runs.
In Case You Missed It: The Real Reason Leonardo DiCaprio Rejected $3 Million Cameo In Brad Pitt’s ‘The Adventures Of Cliff Booth’
4. Scarlett Johansson – $43 Million ($50 Million Gross)
Once the highest-grossing actress in Hollywood history and still one of the highest-paid female performers in the industry, Scarlett Johansson is an automatic entry on this list. In 2025, she starred in one of the five highest-grossing films worldwide, ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth‘, which earned close to $900 million at the box office. She also appeared in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme‘ and made her directorial debut with ‘Eleanor the Great‘.
From being one of the biggest stars in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to stepping into a wide range of characters, Johansson’s versatility remains one of the key drivers of her continued commercial success.
3. Mark Wahlberg – $44 Million ($58 Million Gross)
Mark Wahlberg stands as a classic example of how an actor can make it into the top 10 highest earners of the year largely through streaming platforms, without appearing on the big screen. In 2025, Wahlberg’s nearly $50 million in earnings were driven by ‘Play Dirty‘, for which he earned $25 million and was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
He also appeared in ‘The Family Man 2‘ on Apple TV+ and the thriller ‘Flight Risk‘. In addition, Wahlberg continues to earn royalties from his earlier work as a musician, including the 1990s rap hit Good Vibrations.
2. Tom Cruise – $46 Milllion ($54 Million Gross)
Let’s be honest! This list would have been incomplete without Tom Cruise. Even at 63, the death-denying, gravity-defying superstar earned $46 million last year, despite starring in just one major on-screen project. In 2025, he finally parted ways with the ‘Mission: Impossible‘ franchise with its final installment, ‘Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning‘, though the film didn’t perform quite as strongly as expected.
This year, however, marks an interesting turn for Cruise, as he is set to shed his purely commercial image for a very different project, a black comedy titled ‘Digger,‘ scheduled for release in late 2026.
1. Adam Sandler – $48 Million ($60 Million Gross)
A name few might have expected to top the list, Adam Sandler has benefited enormously from his eight-year, $250 million deal with Netflix. Last year’s comedy sequel ‘Happy Gilmore 2‘, which Sandler both starred in and produced, became a major hit on the streaming platform and even earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Sandler also appeared in the film ‘Jay Kelly‘ and continues to earn a significant share of his income from stand-up comedy specials.
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