Celebrity

Robert Downey Jr Makes Forbes List of Top Actors (AGAIN) Earning $75 Million

Now who says that God doesn’t grant 2nd chances apparently has NOT talked to Robert Downey Jr!! This man has been on the road to self-destruction and back several times and was determined to walk the path of redemption. While walking that path he also said “Ha!! How you like me NOW” in the faces of his naysayers to the tune of a cool $75 MILLION who thought he wouldn’t make it. Well I say Robert, DO YOUR THANG BOO!!!

Read all about it as reported by MSN:

Robert Downey Jr Tops Forbes’ List of Top-Earning Actors With $75 Million Take

 robert downey jr

Hollywood is increasingly in the business of making movies with disposable actors — performers who are almost interchangeable and easily replaced. The special effects and bombastic action sequences required for the modern blockbuster cost many millions of dollars. Any money studios can save by casting less-famous actors is money that can go to the bottom line. And if those actors can be easily swapped out in sequels, all the better. A disposable actor doesn’t really have the leverage to demand a big pay hike.

If there’s one actor who has proved he is not disposable, it’s Robert Downey Jr. The actor has made millions playing Iron Man, and for the second year in a row, he tops Forbes‘ list of the Top Earning Actors. We estimate that Downey earned $75 million between June 2013 and June 2014, the same amount he earned the previous year.

More from Forbes: In Pictures: Hollywood’s Highest Paid Actors 2014

Downey reigns as the highest-paid man in Hollywood because it would be incredibly difficult for Marvel to continue making “Iron Man” and “Avengers” films without him. Marvel movies starring Downey have earned almost $4 billion at the global box office and millions more on home video, not to mention the millions the movies have generated in merchandise.

Disney, which owns Marvel, wants to keep that gravy train going for as long as it can and, like it or not, that means paying Downey whatever he demands. The actor coyly held out during negotiations for the upcoming “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and secured more money than ever upfront for the film. The movie is sure to be a huge hit, and he’ll earn even more on the back-end.

Downey’s Hollywood clout (he ranks 10th overall on our Celebrity 100 list that measures a mix of money and fame) has given him the power to get smaller, more personal movies made too. He helped his friend Jon Favreau get the film “Chef” produced and appeared in a memorable cameo in the movie. “Chef” has earned $25 million so far at the global box office, not bad for a tiny film.

Downey isn’t the only superhero on our list this year. Newcomer Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, didn’t have the fame numbers to make it on the Celebrity 100 this year but he ranks fifth on our list of Top Earning Actors, with $37 million. The “Thor” sequel, “The Dark World,” outearned the first “Thor” movie by $200 million so expect Hemsworth to be able to negotiate for more money in the inevitable “Thor 3.” When he’s not playing a Norse god, Hemsworth is busy pursuing an Oscar. This year he’ll star in films by prestigious directors Michael Mann and Ron Howard, who directed Hemsworth in “Rush.”

To compile our annual earnings estimates, we talk to agents, producers, lawyers and other in-the-know folks to figure out how much each celebrity earned from entertainment-related work. We do not deduct for taxes, agent fees or the costs of being a celebrity.

Dwayne Johnson hasn’t played a superhero yet, but you could argue that’s about to change with his newest film, “Hercules.” The former wrestler plays the hero in a film that picks up after the iconic 12 tasks have been completed. Johnson ranks second on our earnings list with an estimated $52 million, mostly thanks to his work in movies such as the “Fast and Furious” franchise. He has another big action flick, “San Andreas,” lined up for next summer.

Bradley Cooper also gets a turn to play a superhero this year even if he’ll be heard but not seen. Cooper is voicing  Rocket Raccoon in the upcoming Marvel film “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Cooper earned an estimated $46 million last year thanks to his smart mix of blockbusters and prestige films. Cooper earned millions from “The Hangover” franchise but he also earns big from films such as “American Hustle.” Cooper took a pay cut for the lower-budget film, so when it earned $251 million at the global box office he got a nice piece of the profits (plus an Oscar nomination).

Rounding out our top five is Leonardo DiCaprio, who ranks fourth with an estimated $39 million in earnings. DiCaprio is the rare actor who can earn $15 million and up for the kind of adult films that studios don’t often make anymore. Like Downey in superhero movies though, DiCaprio is worth the money. Both “The Great Gatsby” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” did better than expected at the box office this year, earning a combined $743 million.

Source: MSN

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