Stars Paid Nothing For Famous Roles:
Contrary to popular belief where we picture the stars swimming in a pool of cash, these famous Hollywood icons have played significant roles and charged significantly less money which amounts to nothing in Hollywood Dollars. But their talents and high demand by fans have skyrocketed their net worth over the years, thus raising their salary. Today, the following actors are some of the richest but they have had modest days too.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween
Even the mere mention of Jamie Lee Curtis’ name will carry us back to Halloween movies. She played a lead role in the franchise and became a known phenomenon from it. Like every other horror film, Halloween also had a small budget. Even though the role only earned her $8,000, it raised her career graph.
2. Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry
Hilary Swank gave her 100% in this role which also earned her a critical acclamation. He left no stone unturned and transformed herself completely only to be paid next to nothing. The role paid her only $3000 but it also earned her an Academy Award for it.
3. Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy
It is believed that Jon Voight earned nothing from the Academy Award-winning movie, Midnight Cowboy. Being a new face in the business with no credibility, Jon was grateful to even get a chance to act, let alone being paid for it. The script impressed him so much that he was eager to be a part of it. But according to some reports, he still walked home with $2000-$3,000.
4. Jonah Hill in The Wolf Of Wall Street
Jonah Hill was an already established name by the time he got The Wolf of Wall Street. But having been stuck in the comedy genre for a long time, he decided to break that image and veer towards more serious roles for career expansion. He was so determined with that idea that he didn’t mind getting paid only $60,000 for the movie which was significantly lower than his usual demand.
5. Mel Gibson in Mad Max
Mel Gibson became a global star after his impressive performance in mad Max. But the movie that catapulted his career to an unprecedented height paid him only $15,000. It was a low budget movie that didn’t see it becoming one of the biggest franchises someday.
6. Robert Downey Jr. In Iron Man
RDJ’s wildlife choices dented his career for a long time. Following his arrest for substance abuse, drug possession, and trespassing, it was a challenge for him to regain his worth. MCU was reluctant to cast RDJ as Iron Man for the same reasons. But they had to concede to the director’s hard persistence who believed Downey Jr. to be the perfect choice for Tony Stark. RDJ was only paid $500,000 for his first movie. His skills and stardom became too valuable for MCU and by the time it reached Spider-Man: Homecoming, the same actor went home with $15 Million for a cameo.
7. Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise
Can you even imagine Brad Pitt taking home $6000? Well, it might sound like a joke to us now. But during his initial years of career, Brad would settle for this amount to make his ends meet. He was offered a small role in a Ridley Scott movie which meant a great deal for a struggling actor like him back then. The movie did pay him only $6,000 but it also got his talents noticed on the silver screen.
8. Harrison Ford in Star Wars
The most shocking name on this list has to be Harrison Ford for Star Wars. Before the inception of the movie, the producers had placed low bets on their success. Additionally, the cast that was picked was stranger to the audience at that time. It left them in no position to demand high prices but settle down for what they were paid. Even Harrison Ford who is a legend today was hired for only $10,000. Lucky for him that Star Wars became the biggest franchise in the world and defined his career.
9. Bill Murray in Rushmore
Bill Murray’s stardom gave him the power to demand a million-dollar fee. He was at the top of his career from Saturday Night Life and Ghostbusters. But when he was cast for Wes Anderson’s Rushmore, the actor received a shocking amount of $9,000. The director explained that Bill paid for certain movie scenes by his cheque. He further added that he still had $25,000 and $16,000 worth cheques that Murray is yet to cash.
10. Jeff Daniels in Dumb And Dumber
Jeff Daniels was a bigger face than Jim Carrey when Dumb and Dumber was being made. Yet he accepted the $50,000 fee while Carrey was paid $7 Million. According to reports, the producers and directors were at discord for Daniels’ casting. Unable to convince the director, the producers decided to offer fewer fees to Jeff, assuming that he’d turn it down himself. To their surprise, Jeff took happily accepted the offer.
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