12 Highest Paid Actresses by Movie Salary: Who Earns the Most Per Film in Hollywood
Highest Paid Actresses by Movie Salary: When people talk about money in Hollywood, net worth usually steals the spotlight. But the real power move is something else — how much an actress earns for a single movie. One project. One contract. One paycheck.
Over the years, a few actresses have reached a level where studios don’t negotiate much. They agree. Because these women bring global audiences with them.
Here’s a closer look at the highest-paid actresses by movie salary, told simply, clearly, and without hype.
1. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence reached top-tier salary status very early in her career. After The Hunger Games, studios stopped seeing her as a rising star and started treating her as a guarantee. Jennifer Lawrence currently holds the highest confirmed upfront acting fee paid to an actress for a single film.
She is reportedly paid $25 Million for Netflix film Don’t Look Up. What stands out is that she works less, but earns more per project. Netflix paid this amount without box-office dependency, which is why this deal stands out.
| Actress Name | Jennifer Lawrence |
| Highest Paid Salary | $25 million |
| Movie Name | Don’t Look Up (Netflix) |
| Years Active | 2006–present |
| Net Worth | $160 million |
2. Charlize Theron
The Old Guard 2 Actress Charlize Theron stands second on our list with an estimated salary of $23 Million. Netflix confirmed her pay parity with male co-stars, making this a landmark deal. She has established her self in the industry working for past 30 years.
| Actress Name | Charlize Theron |
| Highest Paid Salary | $23 million (reported) |
| Movie Name | The Old Guard 2 (Netflix) |
| Years Active | 1995–present |
| Net Worth (est.) | ~$170 million |
3. Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson has remained one of the most consistently high-paid actresses in Hollywood, especially during and after her Marvel years. Her salary peaked during franchise films where backend deals played a big role. She charged a woping amount of $20 Million for her role in Marvels Black Widow. This figure excludes backend bonuses involved in her Disney lawsuit. She is one of the highest grossing actress in the bollywood for years.
| Actress Name | Scarlett Johansson |
| Highest Paid Salary | $20 million (reported base) |
| Movie Name | Black Widow |
| Years Active | 1994–present |
| Net Worth | $165 million |
4. Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot’s biggest salary headlines came from streaming platforms. Netflix, in particular, changed how actresses like her get paid. For films like Red Notice and Heart of Stone, multiple reports stated that Gal earned around $20 million per movie, paid upfront. No box-office waiting, no backend calculations — just a massive fixed fee. Streaming rewarded her global popularity directly.
| Actress Name | Gal Gadot |
| Highest Paid Salary | $20 million |
| Movie Name | Red Notice (Netflix) |
| Years Active | 2004–present |
| Net Worth (est.) | $40 million |
5. Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts was one of the first actresses to break salary barriers. Long before streaming deals existed, she set a standard that many still follow. Media reports famously revealed that she earned $20 million for Erin Brockovich, a figure that shocked Hollywood at the time. Even today, for select projects, her salary reportedly stays in the $15–25 million range.
| Actress Name | Julia Roberts |
| Highest Paid Salary | $20 million |
| Movie Name | Erin Brockovich |
| Years Active | 1987–present |
| Net Worth (est.) | $250 million |
6. Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock is known for making smart deals, not just big ones. Her base salaries are high, but her profit-sharing contracts often push her earnings far higher. Industry reports around Gravity revealed that Sandra earned over $20 million, with additional backend participation.
Even in recent years, her per-film salary reportedly stays in the eight-figure range. She always chooses her projects carefully and that strategy pays off.
| Actress Name | Sandra Bullock |
| Highest Paid Salary | $20 million |
| Movie Name | Gravity |
| Years Active | 1987–present |
| Net Worth (est.) | $250 million |
7. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie continues to command high salaries, especially for franchise or studio-driven films. Reports over the years have placed her per-movie salary between $15–20 million. Films like Maleficent and Those Who Wish Me Dead reinforced her position as a premium-paid actress.
Even when she directs or produces, her acting fee alone remains significant. Her name still carries international weight. Her salary varied by project, but Maleficent remains her peak.
| Actress Name | Angelina Jolie |
| Highest Paid Salary | $20 million (reported) |
| Movie Name | Maleficent |
| Years Active | 1982–present |
| Net Worth | $120 million |
8. Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie is one of the most versitile and talented actress in the industry. She has shown her talent in various movies like Joker and Barbie, She also became a producer for her blockbuster movie Barbie making her total take away even more. Reports claim that she took $12.5 Million USD just for the acting part.
| Actress Name | Margot Robbie |
| Highest Paid Salary | $12.5 million |
| Movie Name | Barbie |
| Years Active | 2008–present |
| Net Worth | $60 million |
9. Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman is a top actress consistently demanding premium fees for her roles. She charged approximatly $17.5 Million USD for Bewitched. This was one of the highest studio fees paid to an actress at the time. She has been the highest paid actress for multiple years in the past. She continues showering hollywood with her talent.
| Actress Name | Nicole Kidman |
| Highest Paid Salary | $17.5 million |
| Movie Name | Bewitched |
| Years Active | 1983–present |
| Net Worth | $100 million |
10. Reese Witherspoon
Known for projects like Legally Blonde, Fear, Home Again, & Sweet Home Alabama Reese Witherspoon is one of the top paid actress in hollywood. She played leading role in franchise Legally blonde for which she was paid $15 Million for the second season. She earned more than many male leads at that time.
| Actress Name | Reese Witherspoon |
| Highest Paid Salary | $15 million |
| Movie Name | Legally Blonde 2 |
| Years Active | 1991–present |
| Net Worth | $440 million |
11. Emma Stone
Emma stone is one of the most talented actress part of movies like cruella, La La Land, Poor Things and more. She is the actress with most Osscars nomination ever. Emma Stone’s peak salary came after award recognition. She was paid approx $15 Million for La La Land which is one of the top salaries for hollywood actress.
| Actress Name | Emma Stone |
| Highest Paid Salary | $15 million |
| Movie Name | La La Land |
| Years Active | 2004–present |
| Net Worth | $50 million |
12. Anne Hathaway
Last but not the least on our list is OG actress Anne Hathaway who created a unique identity for her self in the indystry. She charges around $15 Million as her per film fees. She has been part of multiple hit movies over the year. Anne Hathaway crossed into eight-figure territory with franchise success.
| Actress Name | Anne Hathaway |
| Highest Paid Salary | $15 million (reported) |
| Movie Name | The Dark Knight Rises |
| Years Active | 1999–present |
| Net Worth | $80 million |
Summing up
What stands out in all these stories is one thing — per-movie salary is about trust. Studios pay these actresses huge amounts because audiences show up for them.
Streaming platforms pushed those numbers even higher, removing box-office uncertainty and replacing it with guaranteed money. And for actresses who have proven themselves over time, that shift worked in their favor.
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