The richest Hollywood actor in 2026 is Tyler Perry, whom Forbes values at about $1.4 billion as of October 2026. Comedian and actor Jerry Seinfeld follows at about $1.1 billion. Among working film stars, Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise and Mark Wahlberg were the top earners of 2025, according to Forbes.
Lists of the richest Hollywood actors are everywhere online, but many use old or unsourced estimates. This updated version replaces our 2020 list with figures that can be traced to Forbes. It has two parts: the actors Forbes counts as billionaires, and the highest-paid actors of 2025, which shows who is earning the most right now.
Richest Hollywood actors: the billionaires
Forbes tracks real-time net worth only for people it counts as billionaires. Two names with acting careers stand out on that list.
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1. Tyler Perry: about $1.4 billion
Forbes lists Tyler Perry’s real-time net worth at $1.4 billion as of 8 October 2026, and classifies him as self-made, with his wealth coming from film and television. Perry is an actor, writer, producer and director, known for his stage plays, films and TV shows such as Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
Unlike most stars, Perry owns much of what he makes. Reports based on Forbes have pointed to his film and TV library, his studio and his stake in the streaming service BET+ as the main sources of his fortune.
2. Jerry Seinfeld: about $1.1 billion
Forbes puts Jerry Seinfeld’s net worth at $1.1 billion as of 8 October 2026. Forbes lists his source of wealth as comedy, but he is also known as the star of the sitcom Seinfeld and has worked in films.
According to Forbes, most of his wealth comes from his share of syndication income from Seinfeld, along with stand-up tours, films and other projects.
Quick facts: highest-paid actors of 2025 (Forbes)
Forbes published its list of the highest-paid actors of 2025 in March 2026. Figures are pretax earnings for calendar year 2025, after agent, manager and lawyer fees. Gross earnings are in brackets.
| Rank | Actor | Net earnings (gross) | Main source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Sandler | $48 million ($60 million) | Netflix deal, Happy Gilmore 2 |
| 2 | Tom Cruise | $46 million ($54 million) | Mission: Impossible, The Final Reckoning |
| 3 | Mark Wahlberg | $44 million ($58 million) | Streaming films, producing |
| 4 | Scarlett Johansson | $43 million ($50 million) | Jurassic World: Rebirth |
| 5 | Brad Pitt | $41 million ($54 million) | F1 |
| 6 | Denzel Washington | $38 million ($42 million) | Highest 2 Lowest |
| 7 | Jack Black | $28 million ($33 million) | A Minecraft Movie |
| 8 | Jason Momoa | $28 million ($33 million) | A Minecraft Movie, Chief of War |
| 9 | Daniel Craig | $27 million ($32 million) | Knives Out deal with Netflix |
| 10 | Millie Bobby Brown | $26 million ($35 million) | Stranger Things, The Electric State |
The top earners in detail
Adam Sandler
Sandler topped the 2025 list with $48 million after fees. Forbes linked most of it to his long-term Netflix deal, which covered Happy Gilmore 2, along with his role in Jay Kelly. He shows that a steady streaming deal can beat a single box office hit.
Tom Cruise
Cruise came second with $46 million, mostly from his share of the gross for Mission: Impossible, The Final Reckoning. Gross participation means his pay rises with the film’s box office, rather than being a fixed fee.
Mark Wahlberg
Wahlberg earned $44 million, the third highest. Forbes said his income came from several streaming films, including The Family Plan 2, Play Dirty and Flight Risk, along with producing work.
Scarlett Johansson
Johansson was the highest-paid actress of 2025 with $43 million. Her fee and profit share from Jurassic World: Rebirth made up most of it, along with The Phoenician Scheme.
Brad Pitt
Pitt earned $41 million, largely from his gross participation in the racing film F1. A share of a film’s gross earnings can be worth far more than a fixed fee when a film performs well.
Denzel Washington
Washington made $38 million, with Forbes pointing to his fee and buyout for Highest 2 Lowest and income from his back catalogue.
Who else made the list
Beyond the top 10, Forbes’s 2025 ranking included John Cena, Reese Witherspoon, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rob Mac, Chris Pratt, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Jason Bateman, all earning between $19 million and $26 million after fees.
Why our older figures were removed
The 2020 version of this article gave net worth figures for actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves and Clint Eastwood. Those numbers were estimates without clear sources, and some were inconsistent. Forbes does not publish real-time net worth for actors below the billionaire mark, so we have not repeated old estimates. Earnings lists, which Forbes updates each year, give a more reliable picture of who is earning most.
For more celebrity stories, see our entertainment section, people profiles and finance stories.
Further reading: Telegram.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest Hollywood actor in 2026?
Tyler Perry, with a Forbes real-time net worth of about $1.4 billion as of October 2026. Jerry Seinfeld is next at about $1.1 billion.
Who was the highest-paid actor in 2025?
Adam Sandler, who earned $48 million after fees ($60 million gross), according to Forbes’s list published in March 2026.
Is Tom Cruise a billionaire?
Forbes does not list Tom Cruise as a billionaire. He was the second highest-paid actor of 2025, with $46 million after fees.
Who is the highest-paid actress in Hollywood?
Scarlett Johansson was the highest-paid actress of 2025, with $43 million after fees, mostly from Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Sources: Forbes, Tyler Perry profile, Forbes, Jerry Seinfeld profile, Forbes, The highest-paid actors of 2025.
