Yahoo Lifestyle Denzel Washington Is One of THE Highest Paid Actors in Hollywood—You're Not Ready for His Net Worth
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Denzel Washington is an absolute legend who is (fingers crossed) mere moments away from his 11th Oscar nomination for Gladiator II, which happens to be one of the most expensive movies made...ever. So, obviously he got a slice! Gonna get to the specifics of Denzel's massive pay day in just a second, but his total net worth, you ask? A mind-boggling $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Here's how he did it (hint: raw talent and charisma).
How Much Did Denzel Washington Make for Gladiator II?
Rumor has it (emphasis on rumor, this is unconfirmed) that Denzel was the highest paid actor in the Gladiator sequel, earning $20 million for playing Macrinus. Keep in mind that there is no verification on this number, so take with a grain of salt. But honestly, this is Denzel's baseline salary for most films, so sounds about right.
His Yearly Salary Is Absolutely Wild
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Denzel takes home $20 million per movie, while Celebrity Net Worth says he easily earns $60-$80 million in a year where he's acting in/producing several films.
Denzel's also been nominated for 10 Oscars and won twice, meaning that studios can pretty much guarantee casting him in a film will lead to huge buzz and accolades—hence his consistently huge payday.
If you're looking for more specifics, Forbes named Denzel one of the highest paid actors of 2023, saying he made $24 million thanks to The Equalizer 3. And back in 2017, Forbes reported that Denzel had earned more than $290 million pretax since they'd last calculated his earnings in 2003 thanks to movies like American Gangster, Man on Fire and The Equalizer. They also confirmed that "When leading man paychecks—around $20 million a flick for Washington—for movies dating back to the 90s are considered, Washington's career payday is far higher."
His Highest Grossing Movies, You Ask?
According to Celebrity Net Worth and Variety, the following extremely long list features the movies Denzel's made the most money from:
Virtuosity: $7.5 million
Courage Under Fire: $10 million
The Hurricane: $10 million
Fallen: $12 million
The Seige: $12 million
Training Day: $12 million
Out of Time: $20 million
Man on Fire: $20 million
American Gangster: $40 million
The Little Things: $40 million
The Equalizer 3: $20 million
He Has Money Tied Up in Real Estate
On top of a giant mansion in Beverly Hills (which he built in the 90s for less than $2.7 million and is now worth almost $30 million), Denzel has a $11 million home in Century City and a swanky apartment in NYC. So if all else fails, he can sell one of his properties and still be a multi-millionaire!
He Gives Back. A Lot.
Denzel is actively involved in philanthropy. In 2021, the Denzel Washington Family Foundation pledged $1 million to Wiley College, and he’s also worked to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of America for years. Oh, and fun fact: He even covered the late Chadwick Boseman’s tuition at the University of Oxford's summer theater program. He's literally the best!
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