Every year, Forbes ranks the highest paid actors and actresses from across the globe, and while Hollywood usually wins out, each year more and more international performers are being added to the list after huge gains in China, Bollywood, and elsewhere. This year,Dwayne “The Rock” Johnsontakes the throne from last year’s winnerRobert Downey, Jr., whileJennifer Lawrenceremains in the top actress spot for a second time.
Johnson told Forbes that,“I can kick ass better than anyone on the planet. And I have a decent smile.” Apparently it’s working for him. According to thenew list, Johnson charted with $64.5 million with films likeCentral IntelligenceandFast 8(he’s also, of course, starring in his own HBO seriesBallersand Disney’s upcomingMoana). He was only a few million (“only”) ahead of second place, whereJackie Chanamassed $61 million with movies in China.Matt Damoncame in third with $55 mostly fromThe Martian, whileTom Cruise($53 million) andJohnny Depp($48 million) rounded out the top five. Bollywood starShah Rukh Khanwas close behind with $33 million.
For the women, Lawrence is taking home $46 million (well, pre-tax so, not exactly) from the finalHunger Gamesmovie and the upcomingPassengers, which actually puts her below her $52 million earnings in 2015. Second place finisherMelissa McCarthynotched $33 million this year, up $10 million from the previous year.Scarlett Johanssonhas come in third with $25 million, all of which shows that there’s still a huge gap between men and women’s paychecks not just among those scrapping to get by, but the 1% of the 1% as well.
Forbes alsocited the statisticthat women are more like to be shown partially or fully nude in movies — $27.5% of the time — three times more than their male counterparts, which points out even further disparity.
But bottom line: everybody is making way more money than we’ll ever see!
