From total career collapse to still starring in Hollywood blockbusters – here’s where the highest paid actors of the 1990s are today

LEAVE A COMMENT Not every '90s star made it into the big leagues with a paycheck of six figures or over. Some have stayed Hollywood stalwarts while others were forced to step back thanks to financial flops or a public tax scandal. Read on to find out where the '90s highest paid stars are today, from Julia Roberts to Wesley Snipes…

The Jerry Maguire and Mission: Impossible star was – and still is today – one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, and his paychecks reflect that star status. For instance, he took home $12 million for 1992 hit A Few Good Men and $15 million for 1994’s Interview with the Vampire. 

But his secret mission hit made him the big bucks, with Tom Cruise reportedly earning a whopping $70 million for the first Mission: Impossible movie. Today, he’s still an A-list star with a staggering estimated net worth of $600 million. 

Leonardo DiCaprio is a red carpet regular

Leonardo DiCaprio was a Hollywood stalwart and serious heartthrob during the ’90s, taking home a check for $42.5 million thanks to his role as Jack Dawson in Titanic. His ’90s stardom also included What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Romeo + Juliet. 

He’s still getting paychecks in the millions today, maintaining his status as a resident of the red carpet, starring in One Battle After Another, Killers of the Flower Moon and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Julia Roberts hasn't lost her star power

Pretty Woman star Julia Roberts was a Hollywood darling through the ’90s with her signature halo of auburn curls and wide, million-dollar grin. But her star smile wasn’t the only thing worth six figures and above. She set the precedent for actresses to come with 2000 hit Erin Brockovich making her the first actress to command a $20 million salary for a single film. 

For her leading role in Notting Hill, Julia took home $15 million – an amount referenced in the script itself, when she’s asked how much she was paid for her last movie. The actress kept changing the amount from the scripted $10 million until she got to $15 million, reportedly stating she was tired of “low-balling”. Now, she’s estimated to be worth a staggering $300 million.

Wesley Snipes is slowly recovering his star status

Wesley Snipes brought half-human vampire hunter Blade to the big screen, but the franchise also spelled ruin for the actor on the set of 2004 instalment Blade: Trinity. The star reportedly clashed with director David S. Goyer, refusing to come out of his trailer. The same year as the film’s release, Wesley was convicted of three misdemeanor counts after failing to file federal income tax returns on millions earned between 1999 and 2004.

He served 28 months in prison between December 2010 and April 2013 and has since been steadily rebuilding his career. Wesley has appeared in projects such as The Expendables 3, Coming 2 America and a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. 

Jodie Foster has cashed in on dramatic character roles

The Silence of the Lambs actress Jodie Foster’s paychecks steadily climbed throughout the decade, starting at $1 million for her role as Clarice opposite Anthony Hopkins, and increasing to $15 million for Anna and the King in 1999. 

More recently, she’s starred in dramas like True Detective: Night Country, True Detective: Night Country”,and psychological thriller A Private Life, building a Hollywood reputation that is still standing today. Jodie’s got the net worth to match, with an estimated net worth of $100 million.

Meg Ryan has returned to silver screen stardom

Meg Ryan’s ’90s paychecks settled into the six figures with a salary of $5 million or more for films like I.Q. and French Kiss. In 2000, her paycheck climbed to $15 million for Proof of Life. 

The Sleepless in Seattle star now has an estimated net worth of $85 million, buoyed by her recent return to the silver screen in What Happens Later opposite David Duchovny and a nostalgic throwback to Bill Crystal hit When Harry Met Sally in advert campaign When Sally Met Hellmann’s.

Kevin Costner has recovered from his infamous Waterworld flop

Dances with Wolves star Kevin Costner faced a major setback with box office flops Waterworld and The Postman. But while his ’90s stardom took a knock, he’s since made up for lost fame and reinvented himself as a small screen star.

Neo-western drama Yellowstone brought Kevin back into the limelight decades later as the patriarch of the Dutton family, John Dutton III. He’s now working on Horizon: An American Saga, an epic western saga and the actor’s directorial passion project.

More USSee moreUSThe 15 most famous movie quotes from the 1990s – how many do you rememberThe '90s gave us the best that romance, horror and comedy had to offer – but some lines still stick with us more than mostUSThe highest-paid actors of the '80s: How 3 built half-billion-dollar fortunes while 1 lost everythingEven the highest-paid actors can eat through a fortune. Find out which '80s star lost his and which actors have built a half-billion-dollar bank of savings sinceDISCOVERInside Michael Douglas and Julia Roberts' feud and the real reason they're no longer friendsMichael Douglas opened up about an altercation he had with Julia Roberts at the 1990 Golden Globes – see all the detailsTV and Film8 actors who played the same character decades apart – see Tom Cruise's unbelievable then and now photosThese actors, including Harrison Ford, Renée Zellweger and Meryl Streep, returned to their best loved franchise decades later to reprise the same role, but did they capture the same magic a second (or third or sixth) time? ConversationFor more information on our conversation section, please read our Community Guidelines. Comments featured and views shared are not endorsed by HELLO!.