Introduction

Jussie Smollett is an American professional actor and singer with an estimated net worth of $300 Thousand.

Quick Facts

• Earned as much as $125,000 per episode on Empire
• Sued by the City of Chicago for $130,000 in police overtime costs
• Sold his 2,597-square-foot bungalow in Studio City for $1.655 million

Empire Salary

Jussie Smollett landed a role as Jamal Lyons on the showbiz drama, Empire, in 2015. He was one of the leading cast members alongside Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, and Bryshere Y. Gray. According to Variety, Smollett earned just $20,000 per episode in the show’s debut season. For comparison, Henson and Howard received a significantly higher salary of $120,000 per episode.

This would place Jussie’s earnings from season one at approximately $240,000. It’s believed that in the middle seasons, his pay increased to $65,000 per episode, earning him roughly $1.17 million per season. After his arrest in 2019, it was reported that Smollett was receiving $125,000 per episode for season five; however, he didn’t return for season six. According to another article from Variety, Jussie’s co-star Terrence Howard eventually filed a lawsuit against CAA over a pay dispute. His salary topped out at $325,000 per episode. 

Considering all the information above, Jussie Smollett could have potentially earned $7.15 million from his role on Empire. However, the actual number could be higher or lower depending on the timeline of his pay bumps. Nonetheless, it’s widely regarded as the highest-paying role of his career.

Chicago Attack & Lawsuit

In January 2019, Jussie Smollett and his team called the Chicago Police Department to report an alleged hate crime against the actor while walking back to his apartment. Smollett claimed that two masked assailants shouted racial and homophobic slurs at him, then attacked him, tied a noose around his neck, and poured a chemical substance on him.

The following month, the police concluded that Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to execute the hoax. Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo had been working with Jussie on the set of Empire, and were seen on CCTV buying the rope and clothing on the night of the attack. He was indicted for disorderly conduct and filing a false police report. Smollett accepted a plea deal in March 2019, which saw the charges dropped in exchange for community service and forfeiting his $10,000 bond. 

A year later, Smollett was indicted again and convicted on five felony counts. As a result, he received a 150-day sentence in county jail, 30 months probation, and was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine and $120,106 in restitution to the police department.

Despite the conviction being overturned in 2024, the City of Chicago filed a $130,000 against the actor for police overtime costs. They settled on a $50,000 donation to charity. All things considered, the event cost Jussie Smollett approximately $85,000, plus legal fees. He also lost his high-paying role on Empire and significantly damaged his reputation in the industry. 

Highest-Grossing Movies

Here’s a complete list of Jussie Smollett’s four highest-grossing movies:

1. Alien: Covenant – $241 million (2017)
2. The Mighty Ducks – $51 million (1992)
3. Marshall – $10 million (2017)
4. North – $7.2 million (1994)

Real estate

In March 2017, Jussie Smollett purchased a 2,597-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bathroom bungalow in Studio City, California, for $1.687 million. He owned the home for just a couple of years and incurred a loss on the investment when he sold it for $1.655 million in July 2019. 

Introduction

Charlize Theron is a South African-American professional actress and film producer with an estimated net worth of $170 Million.

Notable Film Salaries

Charlize Theron’s notable film salaries include several paydays of $10 million or more. Theron earned $10 million for Aeon Flux (2005), $10 million for The Huntsman: Winter’s War, and $10 million for Fast & Furious 9 (2021). She also earned $9 million for 2019’s Long Shot.

Endorsement Deals

While Theron has earned a substantial income from acting, it might not even account for half of her lifetime earnings. She is actually one of the world’s most endorsed actresses, if not the most. Theron has signed several multi-million dollar brand endorsements during her career.

Charlize was the face of Dior for two decades, from 2004 to 2024. According to several reports, her initial deal was valued at between $3 million and $5 million over three years. At some point, she allegedly signed an 11-year, $55 million extension with the brand. However, this figure has never been publicly verified, and we couldn’t identify the original source. In 2024, she was replaced by billionaire singer and businesswoman Rihanna.

In 2005, Theron signed a contract to endorse Raymond Weil watches from October 2005 through December 2006. Under the terms of the deal, she agreed to wear the company’s watches exclusively during the period and was not permitted to wear any other brand. Reports suggest that this contract was valued at $3 million in total.

However, in March 2006, Theron was photographed wearing a Christian Dior watch, which Raymond Weil claimed breached its contract with the actress. As a result, the company filed a $20 million lawsuit against Theron. The suit was settled in 2008, with Charlize reportedly having to pay “substantial” damages to the watchmaker. That said, the actual figure wasn’t disclosed to the public.

Highest-Grossing Movies

When Theron joined the Fast & Furious franchise in 2017, she would go on to have some of her best years at the box office. Her entry into the franchise with The Fate of the Furious grossed $1.24 billion, with F9: The Fast Saga and Fast X grossing $726 million and $705 million, respectively. Theron also entered the MCU, debuting as Clea Strange in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which grossed $956 million worldwide.

Some notable mentions that didn’t reach the list include Atomic Blonde ($100 million), A Million Ways to Die in the West ($87 million), and Bombshell ($61 million).

Here’s a complete list of Charlize Theron’s ten highest-grossing films:

1. The Fate of the Furious – $1.24 Billion (2017)
2. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – $956 Million (2022)
3. F9: The Fast Saga – $726 Million (2021)
4. Fast X – $705 Million (2023)
5. Hancock – $629 Million (2008)
6. Prometheus – $403 Million (2012)
7. Snow White and the Huntsman – $397 Million (2012)
8. Mad Max: Fury Road – $380 Million (2015)
9. The Addams Family – $204 Million (2019)
10. The Italian Job – $176 Million (2003)

Real Estate

Theron’s earliest recorded purchase was a 5,005-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion in Outpost Estates, Los Angeles. She bought the house for $1.6 million in 1998 and still owns it today.

In 2000, Theron acquired a 1,539-square-foot bungalow in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, for $519,000. She owned the two-bedroom home for twenty years and, in October 2022, listed it for sale at $1,995,000, which sold within two weeks.

In 2004, Charlize acquired a 3,119-square-foot home in Los Angeles for $3 million. Like many of her other properties, she would also keep this one for two decades. The actress listed the home on the market for $3.75 million in February 2024 and closed at $3.8 million shortly after.

Introduction

Tom Hanks is an American professional actor with an estimated net worth of $400 Million.

Hanks has starred in almost a hundred movies during his forty-year career. While he can easily command between $20 and $25 million per movie today, once upon a time, he earned just $800 for his role in the 1980 film He Knows You’re Alone.

One of Hanks’ highest-grossing movies was Forrest Gump, which earned him an estimated $70 million after he forwent his salary in exchange for backend points. His other significant paydays include $68 million for The Da Vinci Trilogy, $40 million for Saving Private Ryan, and $20 million for Cast Away.

Quick Facts

• Earned more than $411 million from twenty-one films
• Rejected a $7 million salary for Forrest Gump in exchange for backend points

Net Worth History

Tom Hanks’ net worth is largely due to earning over $200 million in salary in the 90’s. That money has had almost three decades of compound growth. When we first researched his net worth in 2020, it was estimated to be $400 million. Since then, he’s likely seen compound growth from investments, in addition to earnings from Finch, Elvis, Pinocchio, and A Man Called Otto, to name a few.

In 2025, Tom Hanks’ net worth is estimated to be $400 Million.

Film Salaries

Tom Hanks’ first publicly recorded acting salary was $800 in 1980 for He Knows You’re Alone. Eight years later, he was earning multiple 7-figures for performances in films such as Punchline ($5 million), Big ($1.8 million), and The ‘Burbs ($3.5 million).

Forrest Gump Earnings

Hanks was initially offered $7 million to star in Forrest Gump, unarguably the most iconic movie of his career. However, the movie’s production was struggling with a budget of only $50 million and was on the verge of being shut down. Hanks agreed to a deal in which he exchanged his upfront salary for a share of the box office revenue. Due to the film’s success, Hanks was compensated with an estimated $70 million, ten times his original salary.

The Da Vinci Trilogy

In 2006, Hanks earned $18 million for The Da Vinci Code, which remains his third-highest-grossing film of all time, with a worldwide total of $760 million. The original’s success paved the way for two further movies, Angels & Demons and Inferno. Hanks earned $25 million each for the second and third films in the series, totaling $68 million in salary for the trilogy.

Toy Story Salary

Hanks earned just $50,000 for voicing Woody in the original 1995 Toy Story film. The movie’s success tripled the budget for the second installment, from $30 million to $90 million. As a result, Hanks was paid $5 million in 1999 for Toy Story 2. For Toy Story 3 and 4, the budget was $200 million, and Hanks’ salary increased to $15 million per installment.

Highest-Grossing Movies

Hanks’ highest-grossing films primarily comprise the Toy Story franchise. Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 both grossed $1.07 billion at the box office, with a production budget of $200 million. Toy Story 2 grossed $497 million worldwide, compared with $90 million for the 1995 Toy Story, which took in $394 million. The original film had a much smaller budget of $30 million, making it the best-performing in terms of ROI.

The Da Vinci Code (2006) was Hanks’ third-highest-grossing movie, at $760 million. Forrest Gump came in fourth, grossing $678 million on a production budget of just $55 million. Other films to make the list include Angels & Demons ($486 million), Saving Private Ryan ($482 million), and Cast Away ($430 million).

Several films in Hanks’ career performed incredibly well at the box office but didn’t make the top ten. However, they are worth mentioning. Big (1988) grossed $152 million worldwide on a budget of just $18 million. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) grossed $228 million on a $21 million budget.

Here’s the complete list of Tom Hanks’ ten highest-grossing movies:

1. Toy Story 4 – $1.07 billion (2019)
2. Toy Story 3 – $1.07 billion (2010)
3. The Da Vinci Code – $760 million (2006)
4. Forrest Gump – $678 million (1994)
5. Toy Story 2 – $497 million (1999)
6. Angels & Demons – $486 million (2009)
7. Saving Private Ryan – $482 million (1998)
8. Cars – $462 million (2006)
9. Cast Away – $430 million (2000)
10. Toy Story – $394 million (1995)