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10 highest-paid actresses of 2022, ranked: from Margot Robbie’s Barbie millions and Zendaya’s Challengers film, to J. Lo’s Marry Me gig, Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer and Lady Gaga landing Joker 2

Anya Taylor-Joy, Zendaya, Margot Robbie, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez all made bank in 2022 from film gigs ... but who made the most? Photos: @anyataylorjoy, @zendaya, @margot.robbie, @ladygaga, @jlo/Instagram
Anya Taylor-Joy, Zendaya, Margot Robbie, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez all made bank in 2022 from film gigs ... but who made the most? Photos: @anyataylorjoy, @zendaya, @margot.robbie, @ladygaga, @jlo/Instagram

  • Equal pay? Margot Robbie was the highest-paid actress in 2022 thanks to Barbie and earned the same amount as co-star Ryan Gosling – but it was nowhere near as much as Tom Cruise for Top Gun: Maverick
  • Sandra Bullock, Zendaya, Millie Bobby Brown and Lady Gaga all hit the US$10 million mark for films, while Gal Gadot was the highest-paid star in Agatha Christie-inspired film Death on the Nile

When Variety released its annual highest-paid actors list for 2022 in July, it took a good couple scrolls to reach the first woman on the list – Margot Robbie, who ranked 18th behind 17 men.

Margot Robbie poses on the red carpet before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 13th Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, US, on November 19. Photo: EPA-EFE
Margot Robbie poses on the red carpet before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 13th Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, US, on November 19. Photo: EPA-EFE
Although her US$12.5 million payday for her role in Barbie is considered a decent figure by industry standards and was the same amount as her co-star Ryan Gosling, it still showed an undeniably stark contrast to Tom Cruise’s US$100 million bill for Top Gun: Maverick.
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Of course, there are numerous factors that contribute to agreed-upon pay cheques and the final footing can be dependent on the film’s success and the individual stars’ pulling power. Nevertheless, celebrities are more vocal when they do find it unfair these days, with Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence and Charlize Theron at the forefront of fighting for equal pay.

So, which actresses earned the most cash from film roles this year? Let’s take a closer look …

10. Anya Taylor-Joy – US$1.8 million

Starring in Furiosa

Anya Taylor-Joy dazzling in Tiffany & Co. Blue Book Collection diamond necklace and earrings. Photo: Tiffany & Co.
Anya Taylor-Joy dazzling in Tiffany & Co. Blue Book Collection diamond necklace and earrings. Photo: Tiffany & Co.

Taylor-Joy, 26, pretty much became an overnight sensation when she starred in Netflix’s hit series The Queen’s Gambit (2020).

Her meteoric rise to fame saw her get cast for new roles including in The Northman and Amsterdam, and her next upcoming production Furiosa, a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, paid her US$1.8 million. The film will come out in 2024 and also stars Marvel’s Thor actor, Chris Hemsworth.

9. Jamie Lee Curtis – US$3.5 million