Movies Interesting Facts 
November 15, 2024 05:06 PM IST
In 1997, a comedian did the unthinkable by charging $20 million for a movie, which was more than any major superstar at the time.
The 1990s saw a boom in the film business worldwide. Increasing globalization has expanded the film market beyond domestic regions. Third World countries opened up as markets for Hollywood and Indian films began reaching the Indian diaspora in Europe and North America. As the earnings of films increased, so did the salaries of actors. At this juncture, an actor created a stir by breaking the $20 million barrier. And above all, he was a comedian. ,Also read: World’s highest-paid actor to earn $73 million in 2023; No hit for many years, still Tom Cruise ahead of Shahrukh Khan in earnings,
When a comedian was the world’s highest-paid actor
Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger were the biggest names in Hollywood in 1996. Others like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Brad Pitt were also in the running for big stardom. Back home, the three Khans took over the reins from Amitabh Bachchan, while Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Chiranjeevi also took over the reigns. Meanwhile, comedian Jim Carrey caused a sensation by demanding a record salary of $20 million for The Cable Guy. The actor, who was charging just $450K three years ago, suddenly shot to fame with hits like Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. As the studio agreed to Carrey’s demands, it made him the highest paid actor in the world. He surpassed Sylvester Stallone, who earned $17.5 million for Daylight.
How did Jim Carrey beat the superstars?
Jim Carrey justified his $20 million earnings when he delivered a blockbuster in Liar Liar that summer, cementing his place at the top. At this time, Stallone – as mentioned earlier – was charging $17.5 million per film, while other A-listers like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis were charging $17 million and $16 million, respectively. Tom Cruise soon joined Jim Carrey in the $20 million club with Mission: Impossible, and then the sky was the limit for top Hollywood stars. At that time, top Bollywood actors were far behind Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan with earnings of around $1 million (approximately) 4 crore) per film. It would take another two decades for there to be any parity between the earnings of Hollywood and Bollywood.
Jim Carrey’s career
Jim Carrey’s peak lasted for more than a decade, as he delivered critically acclaimed performances in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon, as well as hits such as Bruce Almighty, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Yes Man . After 2010, the actor reduced his workload and started appearing in fewer films. Highlights of his later career have been the role of Dr. Robotnik in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and a Golden Globe-nominated performance in the TV show Kidding.
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