Netflix has produced many acclaimed and successful films that have earned the streaming platform a great reputation. There is a reason why talents such as Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, and Leonard DiCaprio have been a part of Netflix’s ventures.
With a Netflix release, the way the talents are compensated works a bit differently. Depending on their talent, actor’s salary can go in the millions. Many A-listers have been aptly paid for their appearances in Netflix originals. Here are ten actors who have starred in original films produced by the streaming platform and the highest salary they have received.
Gal Gadot
DCU’s Wonder Woman Gal Gadot has collaborated with Netflix twice to date. She was recently seen in the action film Heart of Stone, for which the actress earned a $5 million upfront salary, according to Flick on Click. However, she is one of the producers of the film and is likely to earn even more. The highest salary the actress was ever paid by the platform was $20 million for her role in Netflix’s action film Red Notice. According to Variety, her salary was the same as that of her co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson.
Millie Bobby Brown
Actress Millie Bobby Brown started her career as a child actor on Netflix’s Stranger Things. The show propelled Bobby Brown and her co-stars to international stardom. The actress returned to Netflix with the film Enola Holmes, in which she played the titular character who is the sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, played Henry Cavill. According to Variety, Millie Bobby Brown’s highest salary from the streaming platform was a whopping $10 million for the sequel Enola Holmes 2, thus making her the youngest actress under 20 to receive such a high salary. She was also a producer on the film.
Sandra Bullock
Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock made her Netflix debut with the horror film Bird Box. The film was one of the most viewed Netflix originals on the platform, with over 45 million subscribers watching the film in the first seven days of its release. According to The Things, Sandra Bullock was reportedly paid a huge sum of $17.5 million for headlining the film and giving the platform one of its biggest successes.
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson is one of the most prominent stars in the world with a net worth of over $800 million. The actor was reported by Variety to be paid as much as his co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot in the film Red Notice, which was a $20 million upfront salary. However, he is expected to earn more as he is also a producer of the film.
Ryan Reynolds
Sandra Bullock’s The Proposal co-star Ryan Reynolds also made big money with Netflix. He starred in the action film Red Notice, along with Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot. Variety reported that Reynolds made $20 million on the globe-trotting action film. However, his largest paycheck from the platform was for starring in Michael Bay’s 6 Underground. According to Variety, the actor received a salary of $27 million for the film. Ryan Reynolds has continued to collaborate with Netflix, producing and starring in The Adam Project.
Chris Hemsworth
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has billion-dollar earning films in his filmography after starring as Thor in the MCU. He also headlined Netflix’s action film Extraction, which was its most-watched original film at the time of its release. This led the platform to commission a sequel Extraction 2, for which Hemsworth was offered a whopping $20 million, according to Variety. He is also expected to receive a share of the profits, making it his highest earning from the streamer.
Ryan Gosling
Barbie star Ryan Gosling took a break from films after 2018’s Neil Armstrong biopic First Man. He returned to films in 2022 with Netflix’s The Gray Man, which was directed by the Russo Brothers. The platform shelled out a $20 million paycheck to Gosling to star in the action film, according to Variety. The streaming platform also paid Gosling’s co-star and antagonist Chris Evans $20 million to appear in the film.
Will Smith
One of the most popular actors in the world, Will Smith collaborated with the streaming platform on the David Ayer-directed fantasy action film Bright. According to the sources at The Hollywood Reporter, he was paid $27 million to appear in the action film. Netflix reportedly offered a $35 million paycheck to Smith for a sequel, which was the highest offer any actor had received from the streamer. But after Will Smith’s infamous slapping incident at the Oscars, the platform has receded its offer.
Mark Wahlberg
The All The Money In The World star Mark Wahlberg truly earned the title when he became the highest-paid actor in the world in 2017. According to Variety, he was paid a big paycheck of $30 million for starring in the action film Spenser Confidential. The film was a Netflix exclusive and received mixed reviews.
Leonardo DiCaprio
If not for the Oscar incident, Will Smith would have been the highest-paid actor for Netflix. However, that spot is reserved for Mark Wahlberg and Leonardo DiCaprio, who collaborated with the streaming platform on Adam McKay’s apocalypse comedy Don’t Look Up. According to Indie Wire, DiCaprio was reportedly paid a whopping $30 million for appearing in the film.
