The Million Dollar Reason Netflix Is Landing Hollywood's Biggest Stars (2024)

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If Netflix is known for anything — it's a big budget. The streaming giant releases 90 original films a year, some with individual budgets of up to $200 million. Last year, Netflix spent $12.04 billion on content — and that figure is expected to grow $15 billion this year.

What's also staggering: how much Netflix pays its actors compared to more traditional studios. With most film projects, actors make a percentage of the film's profits in addition to their initial take-home pay, but in the case of Netflix films, which aren't syndicated or released theatrically, actors' salaries stay the same no matter how many times a film is streamed. Netflix films don't make money in the box office, and the company rarely releases any ratings data. So to compensate for this discrepancy, Netflix pays its stars more. Plus, because they are both a production company and a distribution company, they can pad their actors' salaries with the money they save by not having to share profits.

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Today, Variety released the salaries of the stars of this year's biggest blockbusters — including Ryan Reynolds, who is making $27 million to star in Michael Bay's next film coming to Netflix, Six Underground, and Will Smith, who will likely earn $35 million for his role in Bright 2 on Netflix, despite the original Bright (for which he was allegedly paid $20 million) getting roasted by critics.

Also on the list: Gal Gadot, who famously made a disproportionately low amount of money for Wonder Woman, but will be paid the much more appropriate figure of $10 million to reprise her role in Wonder Woman 1984, as well as Margot Robbie, who will earn $9 to $10 million for her upcoming film, Birds of Prey, and Emily Blunt, who will make $12 to $13 million for her upcoming role in A Quiet Place 2. But despite the somewhat comparable salaries across gender in Variety's list, it's worth noting that as recently as last year, George Clooney, the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, made more than the 10 highest-paid actresses across the board combined — and we're still a far cry from parity when it comes to paying men and women equally for their onscreen roles.

But with Shonda Rhimes set to produce eight upcoming Netflix series and Netflix's ever-growing influx of romcoms with their very only Netflix-founded star system, Netflix has a unique opportunity to help close this gender wage gap — especially when it comes to co-stars, like in the case of Claire Foy, who earned less than her co-star Matt Smith in The Crown — firmly in the past.

The Million Dollar Reason Netflix Is Landing Hollywood's Biggest Stars (2024)

FAQs

Who is the highest paid Netflix actor? ›

Adam Sandler has become Hollywood's highest-paid actor as a result of his deal with Netflix. Sandler made $73 million (£57 million) last year, according to Forbes magazine. Murder Mystery 2, in which he starred opposite Jennifer Aniston, was one of the streamer's biggest comedy hits.

How are Netflix actors paid? ›

Netflix actors' earnings span a large range depending on the role, production, location, and performer status. Primary actors are paid for time spent filming as well as residuals for later screenings, while smaller and background actors are only paid for the initial filming.

Do actors get paid when you stream their movies? ›

Residuals are guild-mandated payments made to actors, directors, writers and others involved in the making of film and TV as compensation for cable reruns, syndication, DVD release and licensing to streaming media. They are just one of several ways that creatives are paid for their work.

How much does Netflix pay filmmakers? ›

Netflix typically pays around $2 million for the streaming rights of a movie. This amount can vary depending on the budget of the movie and its popularity. Independent and low-budget movies often have to settle for less, but Netflix is still interested in acquiring them due to their growing audience.

Who is the number one highest paid actor in the world? ›

In 2023, Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” claimed the title of the highest-paid actor, amassing an impressive $87.5 million. Discover more about the projects that contributed to his financial success and the diverse sources of his income.

Who are the top 5 highest paid actors? ›

Forbes releases list of highest paid actors of 2023
  • Denzel Washington - $24 million. ...
  • Ben Affleck - $38 million. ...
  • Jason Statham (tie) - $41 million. ...
  • Leonardo DiCaprio (tie) - $41 million. ...
  • Jennifer Aniston - $42 million. ...
  • Matt Damon (tie) - $43 million. ...
  • Ryan Gosling (tie) -$43 million. ...
  • Tom Cruise - $45 million.
Mar 7, 2024

Do Netflix actors get royalties? ›

According to Gunn, actors do receive “a very small percentage” of the licensing fee that Netflix paid to Warner Bros.

Does Netflix pay their actors well? ›

How much does an Actor make at Netflix in the United States? The estimated average pay for Actor at this company in the United States is $23.48 per hour, which is 51% above the national average.

Can you actually get paid to watch Netflix? ›

A common job title for a Netflix tagger is editorial insights content analyst. The average annual pay for Netflix tagger jobs is $54,000, but depending on your exact responsibilities, your annual Netflix tagger salary can range between $28,000 and $91,000, or $13 to $44 per hour.

How much does Macaulay Culkin make from Home Alone? ›

Macaulay was paid $100,000 (around £50k GBP back in 1990) for his role as Kevin in Home Alone. By the time the second film came to fruition, he received a hefty pay rise of around $4.5 million (£3.5 million).

Does Macaulay Culkin make royalties? ›

It's reported that Culkin doesn't make any money from the hugely successful Christmas films, as actors are not entitled to any royalties made from the movies. Royalties are only paid to owners of the property, aka the film, and are only given to the actors if it is stipulated in their contracts.

Do actors still get paid for old shows? ›

Actors still receive residuals from their shows re airing on broadcast networks. However, in the peak TV era, broadcast networks have shifted to year round originals including lower cost unscripted projects rather than opting to air repeats of scripted episodes.

How much does Adam Sandler get paid from Netflix? ›

Sandler hasn't topped the most-paid actors list since he raked in $47 million USD starring in Punch Drunk Love and Mr. Deeds, but his overall deal with Netflix has been an especially lucrative one, worth over $250 million upon its last renewal.

Does Netflix pay high? ›

The data includes base salaries only, not forms of compensation such as stock options or cash bonuses. Netflix offered certain staffers between October 2021 and September 2023 base salaries ranging from $72,000 to $1 million a year for a variety of different roles, according to the data.

Is Adam Sandler the richest actor? ›

Sandler comfortably sits atop the list of affluent stars, raking in $73 million for the year. That includes funds allocated to his manager, lawyer and agent. Much of Sandler's success is due in part to his massive contract with Netflix, which he originally signed in 2014 for $250 million and renewed in 2020.

How much does Ashton Kutcher make per episode? ›

When he started working on 'That 70's Show', Ashton Kutcher moved up the ladder to eventually earn $800,000 per television episode he worked for in this day and age. Regardless of the show, that's what he makes per-episode. That translates to roughly $20 million per season of television he shoots.

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