Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise are Overpaid
Filed under: Box Office, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman
In the last few years, Nicole Kidman has starred in a number of movies that underperformed at the box office, but last year's disappointing grosses for After Kidman, Forbes names Jennifer Garner, whose '07 films The Kingdom and Catch and Release did poorly enough that the runaway success of Juno couldn't help her ranking. On average her films grossed $3.60 for every $1 she took home. In third place, not surprisingly, is Kidman's ex, Tom Cruise, who bombed big time with Lions for Lambs last year. Others making the list of most overpaid actors include Nicolas Cage, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Jim Carrey, Cate Blanchett and Will Ferrell. Meanwhile, Russell Crowe, who topped the list last year, is considered more fairly paid this year thanks to the success of American Gangster.
Such fluctuations in actors' bankability only continues the debate regarding the importance of movie stars these days. Certainly all the names on Forbes' list are big names who occasionally headline blockbuster hits, but are they actually significant to moviegoers' attraction to a movie? Apparently not.
So, which actor do you think is most in need of a major reality check before his or her next major paycheck?
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Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. I wish they'd use no-name (but talented) actors/actresses for all their films. I'm tired of subconsciously linking their characters to the people who play them.
Posted at 8:36AM on Sep 12th 2008 by filmsuki
3. Well, the response about Kate Hudson is totally off. What about Raising Helen; The Skeleton Key; You, Me, and Dupree; and Fool's Gold? They all did rather well.
But back to the actual topic.
They are ALL extremely overpaid. You can't convince me, or the majority of the population, that any of these actors are worth anything near what they are paid.
Some of them are very talented and some are just mediocre. There are actors all over that never make it only because they didn't get the timing just right, because they didn't meet the right person, or do a "special favor" for the right person; not because of a lack of talent.
If anyone needs to be paid an extreme amount, it should be the crew that puts up with these people and more importantly the stunt performers who all usually end up broke -- financially and physcially.
To be paid even a million dollars for a movie is ridiculous. Half of that is still ridiculous...
Starting this month, we and our local group of movie-goers are no longer paying the outrageous costs of a movie in a theater... with a drink and a snack is about $19 per person. If they didn't overpay these actors so much, I wouldn't have to pay $5 for a watered-down soda and $5 for a bag of COLD popcorn. Who eats nasty cold popcorn??? Until recently, our theater served it fresh and hot... Now, the popcorn machines seem to be there for looks only. They pop the popcorn (in one of their 12 machines) all morning and bag it up to serve cold.
We will never go to a theater again until the prices become reasonable... which they won't... so we won't participate in this scam any longer.
Posted at 2:23PM on Sep 12th 2008 by Terry Myers
4. Wait, last year's gross for The Interpreter? Didn't that movie come out four years ago? I'm a little confused. Or, actually, I think you are.
Posted at 5:42PM on Sep 12th 2008 by Pat
5. Oops. I was confused. I meant to write The Invasion.
Posted at 8:12AM on Sep 15th 2008 by Christopher Campbell
6. The bankability of stars these days and the projects that they are in has nothing to do with the success of films. Today with current technology standards we learn more about these people than they did in the golden age of cinema.
Actors and actresses spend money like water thinking it will always be there and they will always be in demand, but unfortunately that is not the case.
If a film has a budget of 60 million dollars why do they hire a 20 million actor or actress, and considering in our world if we make $50,000 a year that paycheck would take us 400 years to equal for their being on a film set for four or six months?
If these ego driven actors and actresses believe they are worth this pay they are mistaken. What about the 200 to 1000 other people involved in a project? What about the promotion of the film and all the finishing costs?
Most of these over priced actors and actresses never watch the final version of their films, never stay for the editing process and go take a vacation when their scenes are filmed.
I think todays over priced actors and actresses are like the little boy in Oliver who keeps saying I want More, More, More!!
I don't see their films anymore because it is a waste of money for what they contribute, and how many oscars has Tom Cruise won or Nicole Kidman or Will Smith. The list goes on!!
Posted at 4:40PM on Sep 13th 2008 by Michael Elser
7. Actually, Nicole Kidman HAS won an oscar.... Still, I accept your point. These actors need the money to pay for their plastic surgeons- although they would deny it and say it was all a load of botox!
Posted at 4:54PM on Sep 14th 2008 by Jo Munro
8. This list is bogus. Tom Cruise came out with one movie last year, and I seriously doubt he paid himself 25 mil for a supporting part in a film that his own studio made. Once again, Forbes proves they know nothing about Hollywood.
Posted at 4:05PM on Sep 23rd 2008 by Terrell
9. I love Nicole Kidman ,,,, thnk u ,,, دردشه
Posted at 12:08PM on Nov 17th 2008 by te3p
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1. i don't know how much kate hudson makes but she should definitely be in the overpaid category. if i remember correctly , her last box office hit was how to lose a guy in 10 days which was ages ago. she's followed that up with a bunch of rom coms that have pretty much bombed.
i would have to disagree with including will ferrell in this list, he's had more hits than misses.
Posted at 10:06PM on Sep 11th 2008 by joits