Story highlights
It is the first time the ranking has included international actors
International box office receipts propelled actors to top of the list
Newcomers to the list also include Seth Rogen, Chris Pratt, and Jonah Hill
Robert Downey Jr. has been named the world’s highest paid actor for the third year in a row by Forbes, thanks in no small part to the power of the Chinese box office.
“The Avengers: Age of Ultron” star took home $80 million last year, according to the ranking published Tuesday, helped by moviegoers in China where the film grossed a whopping $240 million.
The list of leading men saw Hong Kong action hero Jackie Chan, who stars in “Dragon Blade”, come in second with $50 million. Vin Diesel was not far behind, netting $47 million for his part in “Furious 7.”
It was the first time the ranking included international actors. Bollywood favorites Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan tied for 7th place, both earning $33.5 million. Akshay Kumar slid into 9th place with $32.5 million.
Rising stars and newcomers to the list included funnymen Seth Rogen ($17 million) who starred in the controversial film “The Interview,” and Jonah Hill ($16 million).
READ: North Korea slams U.S. over The Interview
The full list includes 33 actors from seven countries. Together they earned a combined $877 million before taxes and fees.
Forbes will be publishing a separate list of highest-paid actresses later.
The World’s Highest-Paid Actors 2015 are:
1. Robert Downey Jr: $80 million
2. Jackie Chan: $50 million
3. Vin Diesel: $47 million
4. Bradley Cooper: $41.5 million
5. Adam Sandler: $41 million
6. Tom Cruise: $40 million
7. Amitabh Bachchan: $33.5 million
7. Salman Khan: $33.5 million
9. Akshay Kumar: $32.5 million
10. Mark Wahlberg: $32 million
Robert Downey Jr. presents child with his own ‘Iron Man’ robotic arm