Our Hearty Congratulations to the Members of Forbes’s Most Overpaid Actors in Hollywood List

Eddie MurphyAs they do every year, Forbes has compiled a list of the Hollywood’s most overpaid actors. Their methodology is simple: How much box office did the actors generate for every dollar they were paid? And yet, the results can be devastating: What star wants to wake up to see themselves bandied about as overpriced tchotchkes?

Surely, as the list made the rounds last night, a few plucky agents had to duck some whizzing iPhones. But see, we’re looking at it all wrong: The important thing here is that everyone’s making money. Eddie Murphy is the most overpaid actor in Hollywood — at a scant $2.30 return for every $1 of salary — because no one wants to see him in live-action movies anymore? Congratulations, Eddie Murphy: despite your latter-day sins, you continue to get paid lots of money! (This one in particular seems fine, as a late-breaking settlement of debts. Like, I have no idea how much he got paid for Trading Places, but it almost definitely wasn’t enough.) Katherine Heigl only turns out $4.30 per buck? Well, that’s downright amazing when you consider the fact that almost everyone hates her! Nicolas Cage can’t muster more than a $6/$1 ratio? Try telling his tax lawyer that’s a bad thing! Making terrible movie after terrible movie and still getting paid lots of dough — surely, a feat worth celebrating.

And the full list:

1. Eddie Murphy
2. Katherine Heigl
3. Reese Witherspoon
4. Sandra Bullock
5. Jack Black
6. Nicolas Cage
7. Adam Sandler
8. Denzel Washington
9. Ben Stiller
10. Sarah Jessica Parker

Filed Under: Eddie Murphy, Lists, Money, Movie News, Reese Witherspoon

Amos Barshad has written for New York Magazine, Spin, GQ, XXL, and the Arkansas Times. He is a staff writer for Grantland.

Archive @ AmosBarshad