Entertainment Desk:

After four years, Dwayne Johnson has returned to the top of Forbes’ list of the world’s richest actors. He earned a staggering $88 million last year, surpassing Ryan Reynolds ($85 million), Kevin Hart ($81 million), and Jerry Seinfeld ($60 million).

His massive earnings were fuelled by lucrative deals for “Red One”, “Moana 2”, and royalties from his past projects. A report quoted an agent calling the sum “an ungodly amount of money.”

The report also notes that the highest-earning actors made most of their wealth outside of live-action films. In 2024, six of the top ten movies were animated, a genre where actors typically don’t receive huge paychecks.

Only three female actors secured spots in the top 20: the ever-busy Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”, “A Family Affair”), Mariska Hargitay, and Scarlett Johansson. At 40, Johansson is the youngest among them. Despite a highly successful year, Timothée Chalamet didn’t make the list since his deals for his 2024 hits were finalised the previous year.

Streaming also proved to be a major source of income for many stars. Brad Pitt and George Clooney each earned $32 million for “Wolfs”. Since streaming platforms don’t allow actors to invest in a film’s profits, they receive large upfront payments instead.

Looking ahead, Johnson has several major projects lined up. He will star in a Martin Scorsese film alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Blunt.

Additionally, he is set to lead A24’s highly anticipated “The Smashing Machine”, directed by Benny Safdie. The biographical drama will see him portray Mark Kerr, a dominant UFC fighter from the late 1990s.