In recent years it seems that Hollywood has finally started to recognize not just the amazing talent of some of today’s top Black actors, but also their bank-ability at the box office. Black male leads have started to command big bucks in the entertainment industry, and it looks as if they will only become more powerful as mainstream audiences continue showing them big love. These heavy hitters are starring in some of the silver screen’s hottest blockbusters, grabbing the most desired roles, and flexing their talents all the way to the bank. Check out the industry’s highest paid Black leading men, who are lighting up Tinseltown while happily stuffing their pockets.
The All-Round Entertainer: Jamie Foxx
This triple-threat has been on the entertainment scene for over 20 years, starting off his career as a comedian on TV shows like “Roc” and “In Living Color” in the early ’90s. Since then, Foxx has starred in several films and become a box office success, solidifying his A-List status with his 2004 Academy Award win for the lead in “Ray.” Foxx is now a strong Hollywood contender, gaining impressive salaries like the $10 million pay out he snagged for 2006’s “Miami Vice.” Jamie has also recently beat out actors Will Smith, Idris Elba, and Chris Tucker to win the coveted lead role of ‘Django’ in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Western flick, “Django Unchained.” To top it all off, this top black male actor is also an accomplished R&B singer. Foxx is worth an estimated $80 million — definitely something to sing about.
The Sex Symbol: Denzel Washington
Who doesn’t love Denzel? Whether he’s stopping a runaway train or channeling Malcolm X, Hollywood certainly has a longstanding love affair with Washington. “Denzel Washington is one of those wonderfully versatile actors,” says Vickie Frankmano of VM Talent Management, “he also always gives the impression of being humble and I think people like that. His talent has always shone through from his ‘St. Elsewhere’ days on TV, making him stand out as an artist.” And he is certainly shown much love with his movie salaries; Mr. Washington is sitting comfortably in the coveted $20 million club, raking in $20 million for both 2007’s “American Gangster,” and 2004’s smash hit “Man on Fire.”
The Rapper-Turned-Actor: Will Smith
Will Smith is getting jiggy wit’ it all the way to the bank as one of the most bankable Black male actors in Hollywood today. Pulling in a $20 million dollar salary for the upcoming blockbuster “Men In Black III,” he also was paid $20 million for the 2008 dark humor superhero movie “Hancock.” But Smith doesn’t stop in front of the camera. It was reported he also pocketed a cool $5.5 million for producing his son Jayden Smith’s megahit remake of “The Karate Kid.” Well, wax on, wax off!
The Multifaceted Man: Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is a definitely a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry; it is no secret that he has singlehandedly taken Black entertainment by storm in the past five years. His efforts do not go unnoticed as his bank account certainly reflects the fruits of his hard work. Perry was paid $13 million for 2010’s “Why Did I Get Married Too?,” and also made $8 million in DVD revenue from his emotional hit film “I Can Do Bad By Myself.” Perry’s estimated net worth for all of his film and TV endeavors has been reported at approximately $350 million. Now, what would Madea do with all that cash?
The Godfather: Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is regarded as one of the most respected actors of our time. His talent has certainly earned that prestige, as he has appeared in and been nominated for Academy Awards for huge hits like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Million Dollar Baby.” His long, successful career has helped him amass an impressive net worth of $225 million. However this may be subject to change soon, as Freeman settled a nasty divorce case recently with his ex-wife for a hefty undisclosed sum. Ouch.
The Player: Samuel L. Jackson
We all have to admit it: no one can curse and yell like Samuel Jackson! The man absolutely has a gift. Hollywood certainly appreciates this gift as Sam reportedly brings in an estimated $10 million a year, and has a net worth of $150 million. Showing that he likes to keep his mind on his money (and his money on his mind), Mr. Jackson was recently involved in salary negotiation disputes with the producers of coming Marvel flicks “Iron Man 2” and “The Avengers.” Luckily for fans, in the end Jackson agreed to sign on for up to nine movie appearances in a string of related comic book films — currently Hollywood’s cash cow. Cha-ching!
The Comic Genius: Eddie Murphy
Despite his public marital and paternal woes, Eddie Murphy stays deliriously happy from his Hollywood payouts. Murphy doesn’t even have to show his face to rake in the big bucks; he was paid $10 million to lend his voice to the loveable Donkey character in 2004’s “Shrek 2,” and received a $4 million back end bonus for 2010’s “Shrek Forever After.” He was even paid $20 million for the 2002 box office flop “The Adventures of Pluto Nash.” Guess it pays to be nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards – for worst acting.
The Actor-Director: Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker has been a quiet but powerful force in Hollywood for quite some time, being no stranger to being both in front of the camera and behind it. Whitaker has starred in hit movies like 2006’s British drama “The Last King of Scotland,” and he directed 1995’s Black female cult classic “Waiting to Exhale.” Even though Forest’s most recent TV crime series “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior” has been cancelled, he still represents well in dollar signs with an estimated net worth of $15 million.
The Magician: Laurence Fishburne
This “Matrix” star picked the right pill for his career, as Laurence Fishburne has become a certified Hollywood icon. Starring in one of the most successful trilogies of all time wasn’t enough for him. Fishburne is now making his mark on the true crime series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Apparently crime does pay, as Fishburne was offered a $14 million contract to film 40 episodes of “CSI.” That’s around $350,000 an episode. Even Neo would be proud.
The Good Guy: Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba Gooding, Jr. has been following in his famous father’s successful footsteps since his breakout role in John Singleton’s 1991 urban drama “Boyz ‘n’ the Hood.” Since then, Cuba has starred in several other hit films — and Hollywood has certainly shown him the money. Mr. Gooding pulled in $1.5 million for 2000’s “Men of Honor” and is worth an estimated $42 million.
The Master Thespian: Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle has delivered ground-breaking performances in films like 2004’s “Hotel Rwanda,” and 2005’s hit race relations movie “Crash.” But, unfortunately he is still one of Hollywood’s most underrated and underpaid actors. Yet, among African-American leads, Don is near the top, managing to snag a respectable $1 million salary for 2010’s “Iron Man 2.” And with a net worth estimated at $30 million, Don Cheadle is doing okay. Let’s hope Hollywood starts to shell out the really big bucks Mr. Cheadle deserves soon.
The Comeback Kid: Wesley Snipes
We love him for his huge action hits, but Wesley Snipes always seemed to be shrouded in controversy. He was once of the most bankable Black male actors in Hollywood, pulling in a $13 million salary for 2004’s “Blade: Trinity.” However legal and tax woes have not only sent Snipes to prison – they have also brought his estimated net worth down to just $1 million. Where’s the money train when you need it? As a creative actor who often self-produces his empowering Black male roles, let’s hope Snipes is able to return to his former level of box office productivity. The Black male leads on this list show his comeback is possible, as they are all living examples of the American dream.
(Data sources: imdb.com, networth.com, forbes.com, therichest.org, bankrate.com, vanityfair.com)
