Top 10 highest paid actors

Currently, in Hollywood, we are seeing a new set of A-list actors, including Channing Tatum and Bradley Copper, emerge. We have even seen the re-birth of Robert Downey Jr. thanks to the Iron Man movie franchise. The box office numbers may argue that gone are the glory days of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and possibly Will Smith, but do the box office numbers match the size of their paychecks?

In 2012, Forbes released its annual Top 10 highest paid actors with Tom Cruise at the top. Will the 2013 list see the same suspects, or will there be some serious shake up?

The complete Forbes 2012 top 10 list included:

10. Taylor Lautner ($26.5 million)
The success of the Twilight franchise catapulted Lautner to the top of the Forbes list. His solo attempt, Abduction, did not far as well as expected, but Lautner does have many acting years ahead of him to try again.

9. Mark Wahlberg ($27 million)
Wahlberg has proven that he has serious Hollywood staying power. As an actor, in 2012, he starred in the unexpected hit Ted. Walhberg’s most important asset is his versatility, so he can be expected to make the list again.

8. Will Smith ($30 million)
Smith is a favorite among fans. Throughout his career, he has managed to star in 4th of July weekend movie blockbusters including Independence Day. Although After Earth is currently flopping, in 2012, Men in Black 3, was a success.

7. Johnny Depp ($30 million)
Although Depp’s only movie role in 2012 was in Dark Shadows, which did not perform well at the box office, Depp is set to star in the highly anticipated Tonto. The actor continues to grab fans from all age categories, so there’s no question that his big paydays will continue.

6. Sacha Baren Cohen ($30 million)
Cohen marches to the beat of his own drum and fans willingly follow. The Dictator, in 2012, was among his funniest roles to date. As the voice of Julien in Madagascar 3 and role as Thénardier in Les Miserables, Cohen has managed to be apart of other successful movie projects, too.

5. Ben Stiller ($33 million)
Even though The Watch underwent marketing problems due to real life shooting events in 2012, the actor still managed to lure in movie goer’s. As the voice of Alex in Madagascar 3, Stiller absolutely has a lock when it comes to reaping the comedy movie dollars.

4. Dwayne Johnson ($36 million)
The Rock is staying solid. Even though he did not star in any real movie blockbusters in 2012, expect to see Johnson on the list again in 2013 due to the huge numbers posted by Fast and Furious 6.

3. Adam Sandler ($37 million)
As the voice of Dracula in Hotel Transylvania and star of Jack and Jill, Sandler has also proven he has a strong following. After the success of Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2 has already wrapped and is set to release later in 2013, along with another pay day.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio ($37 million)
Since his break out role in Titanic, DiCaprio has managed to keep tying himself to box office hits. In 2012, it was Django Unchained and in 2013, it has been The Great Gatsby. Next up for the actor is The Wolf of Wall Street.

1. Tom Cruise ($75 million)
Cruise is like a fine wine. He does get better with age, but the real question is whether or not fans will continue to follow him. In 2012, Rock of Ages was his success, but Jack Reacher was his downturn. With no other big names attached to the action flick, the weight of the movie fell on his shoulders and did not fare well. In 2013, Oblivion has also not been a success.

Until Forbes’ 2013 Top 10 list for highest paid actors releases, we can guess at who may or may not make the list. With certainty, we can expect to see a few new names, including Downey and Copper.

To sign up for acting classes and to meet with acting coach Michelle Danner in person at her Los Angeles Acting School please RSVP for the free informational session in the contact form on the left. You may also call 310-392-0815 or email us at [email protected] for up-to-date information on all acting classes and workshops. ACTING SCHOOL IN LA, THE MEISNER TECHNIQUE ACTING CLASS.