American actor and comedian Adam Sandler has been named the highest-paid actor in Hollywood for 2025, according to a list published by Forbes magazine.
Sandler earned approximately $48 million last year, thanks to new film projects and collaborations with major productions, including films released on Netflix. The list includes a total of 20 of the highest-paid actors, whose combined earnings last year reached $590 million.
In 2025, Sandler produced and starred in the film Happy Gilmore 2, the long-awaited sequel to the popular 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore. He also appeared in the film Jay Kelly alongside George Clooney. His role as Ron Sukenick, the dedicated manager of movie star Jay Kelly, also earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globe Awards.
Although he topped the list in 2025, Sandler earned significantly less than last year’s leader. In 2024, actor Dwayne Johnson was the highest-paid actor with earnings of $88 million (about €75.7 million).
In second place on the Forbes list is Tom Cruise, who earned $46 million (about €39.6 million) thanks to the film Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth installment of the famous action franchise Mission: Impossible film series.
Mark Wahlberg ranked third with $44 million (about €37.8 million), while Scarlett Johansson came fourth with $43 million (about €37 million). Brad Pitt rounded out the top five with $41 million (about €35.3 million)
Wahlberg secured most of his earnings through projects such as The Family Plan on Apple TV+, the film Play Dirty on Prime Video, and the movie Flight Risk directed by Mel Gibson. Johansson starred in Jurassic World: Rebirth and The Phoenician Scheme by Wes Anderson, and last year she made her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great.
Meanwhile, Brad Pitt played the lead role in the Apple-produced film F1, which received a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards 2026.
Denzel Washington ($38 million / about €32.7 million), Jack Black ($28 million / about €24.1 million), Jason Momoa ($28 million / about €24.1 million), Daniel Craig ($27 million / about €23.2 million) and Millie Bobby Brown ($26 million / about €22.4 million) were also among the top ten highest-paid actors.
Washington starred in the film Highest 2 Lowest directed by Spike Lee last year. Jack Black and Jason Momoa appeared together in A Minecraft Movie, while Black also starred in the remake of Anaconda with Paul Rudd. Daniel Craig reprised his role as detective Benoit Blanc in the film Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
Actress Millie Bobby Brown has become the youngest person ever to appear on the Forbes list of the highest-paid actors. The 22-year-old star, known for the series Stranger Things, in addition to the final season of the popular show, also starred in the film The Electric State alongside Chris Pratt.
The earnings estimates published by Forbes are based on data from the platforms Box Office Mojo and IMDb, as well as interviews with people from the film industry. The declared amounts represent earnings after deducting fees for agents, managers, and lawyers.
