These days it’s rare for actors to rake in enormous salaries – well at least compared to the days good old days when audiences were drawn to a movie primarily based on its leading star. Years ago, if a certain actor’s name was attached to a movie, it was almost a guaranteed success. For example Jim Carrey was paid US$20 million – a rarity today – for The Cable Guy in 1996, because it was expected that he could deliver at least US$20 million in its opening weekend. 5 celebrities who went under the knife to lose weight Now, audiences are often more attracted to a franchise than a star: The Marvel Cinematic Universe, for instance, has dominated the box office for the last decade, but some big name actors still have the recognition and leverage to strike gigantic deals, especially with Netflix . Ryan Reynolds ( @VancityReynolds ) and @michaelbay are teaming up for Skydance and Netflix's 'Six Underground' https://t.co/lR0SXoAHaR pic.twitter.com/PGpuiwx7EF — Variety (@Variety) May 22, 2018 Ryan Reynolds made US$27 million for his Netflix movie, Six Underground , according to Variety ; and the trade publication has also reported that Will Smith is expected to earn US$35 million for the Bright sequel that’s in the works. So, just who are the best paid actors in the business? Here are 19 of the highest paid roles of all time, ranked: 19. Emma Stone as Mia in La La Land Earnings: US$26 million Stone topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid actresses in 2017, with US$26 million, most of that coming from her Oscar-winning role in the 2016 film La La Land. The Jolie-Pitts in 2021 18. Ryan Reynolds in Six Underground Earnings: US$27 million Reynolds made US$27 million for the Michael Bay-directed Netflix action movie about six billionaires who become vigilantes. 17. Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Earnings: US$29 million Schwarzenegger promised that he’d be back for a third Terminator movie under some pretty specific circumstances, including a US$29.25 million “pay or play” fee, which he would receive even if the movie wasn’t made. Who knew that Donald Trump owned these New York City landmarks? 16. Jim Carrey as Carl Allen in Yes Man Earnings: US$30 million Carrey reportedly exchanged his salary for Yes Man for an ownership stake in the movie, which paid off rather handsomely. Exclusive | Jay-Z is now worth US$1.4 billion 15. Will Smith as Daryl Ward in the Bright sequel Earnings: US$35 million A sequel to the 2017 hit Netflix movie Bright is in the works and star Will Smith is expected to earn US$35 million for it, according to Variety . 14. Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller in Saving Private Ryan Earnings: US$40 million Covid-19 survivor Tom Hanks has struck “act now, get paid later” deals on multiple films, in which he would receive a portion of the box office earnings. That reportedly got him at least US$40 million for Saving Private Ryan , but it’s not his most lucrative deal (see below). 13. Cameron Diaz as Elizabeth Halsey in Bad Teacher US$42 million Diaz was paid a mere US$1 million to get Bad Teacher produced, but received a portion of box-office earnings, which secured her over US$40 million for the movie. It’s known as one of the most “legendary” deals in Hollywood history. Work out like Kim Kardashian or Kylie Jenner to lose weight and get results 12. Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb in Inception Earnings: US$50 million DiCaprio earned at least US$50 million for Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception, just from box office earnings, but his deal also included home video and television sales. According to Forbes , he took a pay cut because the movie was so “risky”, but he and Nolan agreed to split first dollar gross points. 11. Jack Nicholson as The Joker in Batman Earnings: US$50 million Though Nicholson was paid US$6 million up front for his role as the villainous Joker in the 1989 Batman film, he reportedly secured a lucrative deal that included box office earnings and merchandise sales from its sequels – that he didn’t even appear in. Who is Bling Empire’s richest star and where does their money come from? 10. Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Earnings: US$55 million Forbes reported in 2010 that On Stranger Tides – the fourth Pirates movie released in 2011 – was one of the most expensive films ever made, with production costs of over US$410 million. A large portion of those costs were due to paying staff and actors. Depp alone made US$55 million for the movie. In 2011, Depp admitted that he was “overpaid” for the Pirates films, for which he has reportedly made over US$300 million combined. 9. Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump Earnings: US$60 million The box office hit Forrest Gump is another case in which Hanks opted for performance-based pay, and went on to receive an estimated US$60 million. Will Tiffany Trump have the last laugh? 8. Adam Sandler in his Netflix films Earnings: US$250 million for four films (US$62.5 million per movie) Sandler struck a deal with Netflix in 2014 for four exclusive films worth an estimated US$250 million – or US$62.5 million per movie – according to Forbes . Netflix renewed the deal in 2017 for four more films, and again last year. 7. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Earnings: US$65 million To get Ford back for a fourth Indiana Jones movie, Paramount agreed to a deal that split a large portion of the film’s earnings between him, director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas. 9 ordinary jobs stars like Johnny Depp had before they were famous 6. Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland Earnings: US$68 million According to The Telegraph , Depp earned £50 million for Alice in Wonderland – about US$68 million in the US. 5. Sandra Bullock as Dr Ryan Stone in Gravity Earnings: US$70 million Bullock was paid US$20 million up front for Gravity , which is an impressive number on its own. However her deal also included 15 per cent of box office revenue, which is likely to have bagged her at least US$70 million. Sandra Bullock just sold these beachside homes for US$4 million 4. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man in Avengers: Infinity War Earnings: US$75 million Downey was the highest-paid actor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe , having negotiated a deal in which he received back-end profits that resulted in US$75 million for 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War . He even made US$50 million for the first Avengers movie in 2012, according to GQ . 3. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Earnings: US$75 million Cruise earned US$75 million from the fourth Mission: Impossible movie, Ghost Protocol , which allowed him to top Forbes ’ most powerful actors list in 2012. 2. Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix trilogy Earnings: US$250 million (US$83.3 million per movie) 20 millionaires and billionaires who went from rags to riches Between all three Matrix films, Keanu Reeves ’ combined pay was US$250 million. Divide that by three, and weep. 1. Will Smith as Agent J in Men in Black 3 Earnings: US$100 million Will Smith’s performance-based pay for the third Men in Black movie earned him an impressive US$100 million of its US$624 million gross. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter . This article originally appeared on Business Insider