Tom Cruise is highest paid actor

Tom Cruise has topped a list of the highest paid actors in Hollywood.

The star, who is getting divorced from wife Katie Holmes, made nearly twice as much as second-placed Leonardo DiCaprio in the Forbes Magazine rundown.

It’s after the 50-year-old’s appearance in the latest Mission: Impossible film – Ghost Protocol – which made more than $700m (£446m) worldwide.

Forbes estimates that Tom Cruise earned $75 million (£47m) between May 2011 and May this year.

His wife Katie Holmes filed for divorce last week and is seeking sole custody of their daughter, Suri.

Last year’s top earner Leonardo DiCaprio, 37, tied for second place on the list with comic actor Adam Sandler, 45, who both made $37 million (£23m).

DiCaprio’s earnings dropped after his 2010 film Inception, which made $825 million (£526m) at the global box office.

Adam Sandler’s income included his earnings from 2011 film Jack and Jill.

Former professional wrestler Dwayne Johnson, 40, came in fourth earning $36 million (£22m).

His film Fast Five took in $626 million (£399m) worldwide.

At number five is comedian Ben Stiller with $33 million (£21m), whose next film The Watch is about a group of Neighbourhood Watch fathers and is due for release in July.

In compiling the list, Forbes says it considers factors including pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

bbc