Here are the 30 highest-grossing actors of all time. Some of them will likely surprise you.
30. Gary Oldman
British actorGary Oldmanis a chameleon. He disappears into his roles – sometimes assisted by makeup like inDarkest Hour, sometimes just a pair of specs like inThe Dark Knight Trilogy. And sometimes, like his magical work in theHarry Potterfilm saga, he helps others disappear, too.
Thanks to these iconic book adaptations, Oldman earns a spot on this list. And while fans can debate who would win between a Harry Potter-Batman fight,The Dark Knighttriumphs as Oldman’s highest-grossing film. He plays Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, the one honest cop in a dishonest Gotham City.
29. Dwayne Johnson
Are you followingDwayne “The Rock” Johnsonon Instagram? If not – what are you doing with your life? Correct this, quickly. He posts incredible selfies, motivational speeches, and best of all, the wildest cheat meals you’ve ever seen. We can smell what The Rock is cooking: It’s eight million pancakes.
Johnson recently vroomed into the prolificFast & Furiousfranchise, even spinning off his character into the 2019 standalone action flickFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. But Johnson’s highest-grossing movie is a gentler, funnier affair. It’sJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the video game update of theRobin Williamsclassic.
28. Woody Harrelson
When replacing Coach as the main bartender on the essential sitcomCheers,Woody Harrelsoncame into our entertainment lives as a gentle, simple, goofy guy. But in his film career, he’s radically shifted his persona, playing unhinged yet charismatic weirdos in titles likeZombielandandNatural Born Killers.
Harrelson struck gold by nabbing a role in theHunger Gamesfilm franchise. He plays Haymitch Abernathy, a former winner of the games who mentorsJennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen. He’s as eccentrically watchable as the actor who plays him, and the second entry,Catching Fire, is Harrelson’s highest grosser.
27. Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchetthas an otherworldly presence. Her characters take ideas we know and present them in unique ways that feel familiar but surprising. Say what you will aboutIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but her non-blinking performance as Irina Spalko is like no other villain.
It makes sense that her performance as royal elf Galadriel inThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingcements the title as her highest-grossing film. Blanchett embodies the ethereal character (which she reprised in theHobbittrilogy) with enough of an anchor to keep us invested.
26. Vin Diesel
“I am Groot.” With these three simple words,Vin Dieselgave theMarvel Cinematic Universethe jolt of sincerity and humor it needed. Diesel’s performance as CG tree Groot was introduced inGuardians of the Galaxy, but his later MCU work inAvengers: Infinity Waris his highest-grossing film.
Beyond the MCU, Diesel lived up to his last name with his highly profitableFast & Furiousfranchise. He centered the first one in 2001, then dipped out for awhile. But when he came back in 2009’sFast & Furious, he amped the entire series up to a new, high-octane level.
25. Josh Brolin
It’s hard to fully trustJosh Brolin. FromThe GooniestoNo Country For Old Men, Brolin’s characters are roguish scoundrels with a twinkle in one eye and a threat in the other. This all came to a head in Brolin’s highest-grossing film.
He just needed to go purple.
Thanos is the big, bad, cosmic villain of the MCU. And in a revolutionary motion-capture-assisted performance, Brolin turned the character from a simple-minded dude after some space stones into a downright Shakespearean villain of intrigue and even sympathy.Avengers: Endgame, the conclusion to his story, is Brolin’s biggest money maker.
24. Jeremy Renner
Becoming a high-earning movie star seems difficult. But forJeremy Renner, all he had to do was take aim and fire.
His role as Hawkeye, the sharp-shooting archer of the MCU, is full of grit and humanity.Avengers: Endgameis the highest-earning of the bunch.
Outside of the MCU, Renner has been a welcome addition to theMission: Impossiblefranchise, givingGhost Protocola welcome sense of deadpan humor. He also gave Oscar-nominated performances inThe Hurt LockerandThe Town– in both, he shows the vulnerability behind usually hyper-masculine roles.
23. Will Smith
Will Smith is one heck of a movie star.
Men In Black.Independence Day.Hitch. The guy just oozes charm, humor, warmth, and watchability. Even in his darker roles likeI Am LegendorHancock, we’ll follow Smith down whatever path he chooses to take. So what’s his highest-grossing film?
Aladdin, the 2019 live action remake of the 1992 Disney animated musical.
Smith had big shoes to fill, taking over the role of the Genie from Robin Williams. To his credit, Smith made it his own instead mere imitation. His performance of “Friend Like Me” is… a banger.
22. Benedict Cumberbatch
Despite having a difficult to pronounce name,Benedict Cumberbatchis the 22nd highest-grossing actor of all time. After making the Internet go gaga over his take on Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch signed up for the MCU. His Doctor Strange is not unlike Holmes. Funny. Arrogant. And exceptional at his job.
Avengers: Endgame, featuring a brief but beautiful moment of Cumberbatch heroism, is his highest-grossing film. Beyond the MCU, Cumberbatch has taken on the Grinch, Khan inStar Trek Into Darkness, and got an Oscar nod for playing Alan Turing inThe Imitation Game.
Ian McKellen
The guy is both Magneto and Gandalf. He’s central to both theX-MenandLord of the Ringsfilm franchises. You’re just not gonna step toSir Ian McKellen.
And if you do, he’ll just control your metal stuff and scream “You shall not pass!” until you get the message.
In 2017, McKellen added another iconic role to his resume: Cogsworth, the stern butler who is literally a clock, in the 2017 live actionBeauty and the Beastremake. McKellen gives the role equal parts formality and silliness, all while infusing it with just the most necessary Britishness.
20. Idris Elba
To be blunt,Idris Elbais very handsome. you may throw on a horned helmet, color his eyes orange, and make him stand in front of a gate, and he’ll still be a looker.
Coincidentally, that’s exactly what they did to him in his role of Heimdall in the MCU.
Elba’s time in the comic book film universe ended inAvengers: Infinity War, his biggest money-earner. After that, he turned heads as the charismatic villain inFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. He also won a Golden Globe for his role as the titular antihero detective inLuther.
