We come to the end of another financial year and with it, a little bit more of a look into the monetary value of some of our favourite personalities, be it on stage, screen or sport. But who after a bumper year of cinema-going and the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon was the highest-paid entertainer in the last 12 months?
Forbes as always has pulled together a list compiling who has been the most lucrative celebrity on screen in 2023, with the top spot somewhat of a surprise. Forbes' method for working out these figures took estimates for earnings in 2023 and was derived from interviews with industry professionals and data sources like IMDBPro and Polestar. These figures reflect pre-tax income, excluding fees for representation (10% to agents, 10% to managers, and 5% to lawyers).
So who was 2023’s highest-paid entertainer and were you surprised by any of the names featured in the top ten?
5. 6 - Jennifer Anniston ($42 million)
US actress Jennifer Aniston arrives for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, February 24, 2024. (Photo by Valerie Macon / AFP) | AFP via Getty Images
6. 5 - Matt Damon ($43 million)
US producer and actor Matt Damon poses on the red carpet prior to the opening ceremony of the 74th Berlinale, Europe's first major film festival of the year, in Berlin on February 15, 2024. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) | AFP via Getty Images
7. 4 - Ryan Gosling ($43 million)
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling attends the Oscar Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on February 12, 2024. (Photo by Valerie MACON / AFP) | AFP via Getty Images
8. 3 - Tom Cruise ($45 million)
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales poses for a photo with US actor Tom Cruise at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner at The OWO on February 7, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty Images) | Getty Images