10 highest-paid celebrity brand endorsements, ranked: from Charlize Theron’s US$55 million Dior contract to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s rival deals with Pepsi and Diet Coke

Sep 10 , 2021

Hollywood stars with some of the highest endorsement deals: Charlize Theron, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Robert Pattinson. Photos: @charlizeafrica, @nespresso, @juliaroberrts/Instagram; @AboutRPattinson/Twitter

Pop star Selena Gomez got a US$30 million pay cheque from Puma at just age 25 while Hollywood’s Angelina Jolie bagged US$10 million for a Louis Vuitton campaign

Marvel actor Robert Downey Jr. and Twilight star Robert Pattinson both made US$12 million, from deals with Taiwanese phone company HTC and Dior Homme respectively

Hollywood and pop celebrities earn massive pay cheques from film roles and arena tours, but their biggest cash cows often actually come from lucrative endorsement deals. From luxury fashion brands to world-famous drinks companies, these A-listers have commanded massive figures to become brand ambassadors and star in ad campaigns.

Charlize Theron – US$55 million

Charlize Theron has served as Dior’s J’adore brand ambassador since 2004. Photo: @charlizeafrica/Instagram

It should come as no surprise that Charlize Theron commands a large sum for endorsements outside of her film roles. According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, the South African-born star signed an 11-year contract with Dior worth US$55 million (paying out a US$5 million annual salary).

Beyoncé – US$50 million

Various versions of Beyoncé’s iconic images were seen in her Pepsi commercial for the Super Bowl. Photo: @beygency4/Twitter

Beyoncé has appeared in several high-profile campaigns throughout the years, but nothing beats her US$50 million deal with Pepsi back in 2012. The multi-year contract saw Queen Bey in Pepsi commercials, billboards and even on printed cans that debuted during her 2013 Super Bowl halftime show.

According to Billboard, the gargantuan deal also saw Pepsi sponsoring Beyoncé’s “variety of unspecified creative projects” and to “help promote the singer’s upcoming fifth studio album”.