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