Introduction 

James Franco is an American professional actor, screenwriter, and film producer with an estimated net worth of $30 Million.

Quick Facts

• Reportedly earned $6.5 million from The Interview
• Settled a sexual misconduct lawsuit for $2.23 million in 2021
• Absent from Hollywood for five years between 2019 and 2024

Film Earnings

Unfortunately, there isn’t much information online about James Franco’s film salaries. During our research, we found salaries for just three of his films. This included a $2 million paycheck for starring alongside Neve Campbell in the 2003 film, The Company.

Reports suggest he earned $7 million from Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), which featured actors such as Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, and Mila Kunis. Additionally, Franco earned approximately $6.5 million from his infamous film with Seth Rogen titled The Interview. This film was banned in multiple countries and led to North Korea threatening the United States.

Highest-Grossing Movies

Franco’s recurring role as Harry Osborn in the first three Spider-Man movies contributed to a total box-office gross of $2.5 billion. The original Spider-Man movie grossed $821 million globally. It became the third highest-grossing movie of 2002, behind only LOTR: The Two Towers ($936 million) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ($879 million).

The following two movies on the list were Oz the Great and Powerful ($493 million) and Rise of the Planet of the Apes ($482 million). Franco’s remaining box office hits are mainly from cameos and minor appearances, so here are some of his lead roles that didn’t make the overall list:

1. This is the End – $126 million (2013)
2. Why Him? – $118 million (2016)
3. Pineapple Express – $102 million (2008)
4. 127 Hours – $61 million (2010)
5. Spring Breakers – $32 million (2012)
6. The Interview – $12 million (2014)

Some of Franco’s most beloved characters are from R-rated comedies that had to take risks at the box office. One of the most notorious is 2014’s The Interview with Seth Rogen. The film was banned in multiple countries, including China, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and North Korea. The North Korean government reportedly threatened action against the US if Sony were to release the film. 

Here is the complete list of James Franco’s ten highest-grossing movies:

1. Spider-Man 3 – $896 Million (2007)
2. Spider-Man – $826 Million (2002)
3. Spider-Man 2 – $790 Million (2004)
4. Oz the Great and Powerful – $493 Million (2013)
5. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – $482 Million (2011)
6. Alien: Covenant – $241 Million (2017)
7. The Green Hornet – $228 Million (2011)
8. Knocked Up – $220 Million (2007)
9. The Holiday – $206 Million (2006)
10. Eat Pray Love – $205 Million (2010)

Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit

In 2014, James Franco established the Studio 4 acting school, which operated for roughly three years before closing down in 2017. Two years later, in October 2019, two of Franco’s former students filed a sexual misconduct lawsuit against him. They alleged that the actor sexually exploited them and coerced them into performing scenes involving nudity. The suit also alleged that the students were misled about possible acting opportunities.

In 2021, Franco agreed to pay a settlement of $2,235,000, which comprised $894,000 for the sexual exploitation claim and $1,341,000 for the claims of fraud. Despite settling the lawsuit, Franco denied the allegation, and no admission of wrongdoing was included in the proceedings. After the suit was settled, he admitted to sleeping with his students and stated that, though it was consensual, it was wrong.

Ultimately, the lawsuit led to the actor’s five-year absence from Hollywood, and several projects were canceled. His last role prior to the lawsuit was as the voice of Lemmy in Arctic Dogs. He didn’t reappear in any project until the Karantina TV series aired in 2024.

Who’s the Richest Franco Brother?

All three of the Franco brothers (James, Dave, and Tom) are professional actors. At the time of writing, James is the richest in the family with an estimated net worth of $30 Million. His younger brother Dave has an estimated net worth of $10 Million, while Tom is worth roughly $500 Thousand.

Real Estate

In May 2006, James Franco paid $2.33 million for a 5,215-square-foot, three-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Los Angeles, California. He lived in the property part-time for several years before selling it for $3.3 million in February 2010.

In 2012, Franco purchased a 1,496-square-foot duplex in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, for $775,000. Following the purchase, neighbors complained that the house was being used to operate a production company and shoot scenes. Franco returned the home to the market in 2017 with an asking price of $949,000, though reports suggest he actually sold it for $1.35 million.

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.