GettyDwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the highest paid actor in the history of the Forbes Celebrity 100 list, the publication confirmed on Monday.
From June 2017 to June 2018, Johnson earned $124 million, almost doulbing the $65 million he was reported to have made according to 2017’s final list.
The former wrestler ranked fifth overall on 2018’s Celebrity 100, rising 17 spots from his 22nd ranking in last year’s list.
Forbes claims that Johnson earned his record total ‘thanks to giant upfront paychecks and a cut of profits on blockbusters including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.’
‘Wow unexpected news,’ Johnson wrote on his Twitter account at the news. ‘I don’t have a Harvard MBA, but my business philosophy has been sharpened over time and thru failure. I have one boss I serve and connect with – the world and the people in it. I’m the dude who started w/ $7bucks. I’m awestruck ($124M) grateful & hungry.’
Universal PicturesAlthough Forbes called him ‘Hollywood’s highest-paid actor’, he technically earned less in the last year than George Clooney.
However, Clooney made his way the the 2nd spot on the lost mainly through the $700 milion sale of his tequila company, Casamigos, to British liquor company Diageo. The ‘vast majority’ of Johnson’s $124 million came from acting royalties.
It’s a remarkable achievement for someone who appears to remain so humble and down-to-earth.
That’s not to say it has been plain sailing for the former WWE superstar.
In an interview with ITV, Johnson opened up about his bouts with depression, saying it ‘doesn’t discriminate.’
He said:
Depression doesn’t discriminate and I thought that was an important part of the narrative.
If I was going to share a little bit of my story of the past, it’s that regardless of who you are or what you do for a living or where you come from, it doesn’t discriminate. We all go through it.
If I could share a little bit of it with people and if I could help somebody, I’m happy to do it.
The key thing that I found was the most important thing about that, talking about my past in terms of depression, is the revelation and for us to be ok and embracing… especially us as guys, as men.
Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesJohnson added:
There’s just a DNA, there’s a wiring in us and a constitution that often-at-times doesn’t let us talk about when we’re scared or vulnerable or things like that. It’s kind of like what’s been deemed as toxic masculinity.
But no, you’ve got to talk about it and you’re not alone. I was an only child and I kept that bottled in, deep, deep. It wasn’t good, so [I’m] happy to share my story.
Of course, everybody has, or knows somebody who’s had to face mental health challenges.
So congratulations to Dwayne on fighting the good fight, and his genuinely self-made fortune.
UNILAD have petitioned the government to improve mental health services offered on the NHS for young people, who sometimes have to wait ten years from the moment they experience their first symptoms to get adequate treatment.
You can help by signing our petition, in partnership with WHOLE. To find out more about our campaign you can read our manifesto.
If you want to speak to someone confidentially about your mental health and wellbeing, call one of the following numbers: Samaritans – 116 123 , Childline – 0800 1111 (UK) / 1800 66 66 66 (ROI), Teenline – 1800 833 634 (ROI).
