While noticeable gender wage gap persists in Hollywood, strides have been made to compensate deserving actresses as copiously as their male counterparts like Ryan Gosling, Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, and Tom Cruise. An example worth noting is the superbly talented Margot Robbie, who wore the producer’s hat and reprised the leading role in the box-office knockout Barbie. The film triumphantly emerged as the most profitable venture in the history of Warner Bros., and the highest-earning flick of the year 2023.
In the landscape of Hollywood’s foremost actresses, Robbie is certainly not alone. The likes of Sandra Bullock sit high on the list of high-earning actresses due to illustrious roles and smart business deals. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Bullock’s riveting performance as Dr. Ryan Stone in the 2013 sci-fi thriller Gravity propelled her to the position of the highest-earning actress for a single movie.
The compensation structure of Bullock’s Gravity deal was designed distinctively, with an upfront salary of $20 million and a multifaceted profit-share that ultimately brought her earnings north of an additional $50 million. On the other hand, the remuneration received by Margot Robbie for her Barbie role was a straightforward $12.5 million, with further film-production profits escalating her total earnings in close quarters of Bullock’s massive payday.
Granted, this is not a pattern exclusive to the current era. Before her 2014 retirement decision, Cameron Diaz was similarly rewarded amply for her enormous contribution to the comedy genre. The humorous hit Bad Teacher, released in 2011, fetched Diaz an impressive $42-million paycheck due to an advantageous profit-sharing contract.
Often times, contracts take unexpected turns requiring legal intervention, as in the case of Scarlett Johansson. She was initially remunerated with $20 million to revive the superhero character Black Widow. However, due to alleged contract breaches by Disney leading to a lawsuit, she was supposedly awarded an additional $40 million, bringing her total earnings for the role to a staggering $60 million in an out-of-court settlement.
The earnings of actors greatly depend on franchise success as is the case with Jennifer Lawrence. Her reprisal roles as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games series scored her a whopping $15-20 million per movie. Similarly, a standalone Netflix project in 2021 brought her an earnings revolution worth $25 million.
At the peak of her career, Angelina Jolie topped the earnings chart amongst all Hollywood actresses. For her thrilling action flicks like Salt and Maleficent, Jolie received a huge payout of $20 million and $33 million respectively. Although the follow-up to Maleficent didn’t surpass the box-office collections of its predecessor, Jolie still bagged a substantial $28 million when considering her base salary and additional bonuses.
Multi-talent Julia Roberts, not to be left behind, was also handsomely rewarded for performances in various movie genres. Roberts is said to have drawn salaries in excess of $20 million for her roles in several notable projects like Erin Brockovich, Mona Lisa Smile, and Closer. She pushed the bar far higher with single project earnings when her salary reached a staggering $25 million for a Netflix venture.
Emma Stone’s bright acting career ensured she was duly compensated for her contribution to the musical drama La La Land. This project, particularly lucrative for Stone, is reported to have earned her a staggering $26 million combining her primary salary and the profit-share she took home.
Reese Witherspoon, popularly adored for her performance in Sweet Home Alabama, is said to have earned a remarkable $15-20 million for her role. The Wonder Woman series, moreover, expedited Gal Gadot’s earning potential carrying her from an inceptive $300,000 to a resounding $10 million for subsequent episodes. Gadot’s rise to fame convinced Netflix to reward her with $20 million for a single role in a movie.
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn attracted audiences in droves, largely due to the captivating performances of its lead actors. Kristen Stewart was handsomely compensated for her contribution, receiving a paycheck of an estimated $25 million plus 7.5% of the gross revenue for her role in the two-part Breaking Dawn series.
Just as her Twilight co-star, Charlize Theron bagged a hefty payday for her memorable role as Queen Ravenna in the Snow White and The Huntsman movie. Theron’s spectacular performance earned her an enormous pay packet of approximately $10 million.
Emily Blunt has built a reputation for blockbuster hits, particularly with A Quiet Place films, leading her to a hefty paycheck ranging from $12-15 million per film due to the franchise’s success. Anne Hathaway, whose portfolio boasts of financially successful ventures, is reportedly earning between $5-10 million for every movie.
Nicole Kidman, a Hollywood stalwart, was incredibly rewarded for her role in Bewitched – a career-high receiving a $17.5 million paycheck. It’s also reported that Kidman made approximately $15 million for each of her roles in Cold Mountain, The Stepford Wives, The Interpreter, and Birth.
Finally, it should be noted that the actresses’ financial successes can’t be divorced solely from their talent on screen. It’s a testament to the worth these creative talent bring to the industry and mirrors the shifting trends towards equal pay in Hollywood, albeit at a slow crawl. This list may only include a few actresses, but it symbolically represents a fight against pay disparity in an industry where such disparities have been long-standing issues, and the progress, even if gradual, deserves acknowledgment.