And the money goes to... Oscar nominees are already winners
By now we know that an Oscar win can increase the earning potential of a movie. More people are likely to rent or buy a film if it’s been dubbed an Academy Award winner. But what about the actors and actresses who bring the films to life?
Winning an Oscar – or any award – can increase an actor’s earning potential. But as Bankrate.com points out, just how much a win can boost an actor’s bank account really comes down to how much Joe (or Jane) Hollywood was making before being nominated.
We checked in with CelebrityNetWorth.com to take a look at which nominees were worth the most...
Best Actress
Rosamund Pike may have been acting for years, with roles like Bond Girl in her résumé. But when it comes to the Academy Awards, the “Gone Girl” star is new to the game. She has one of the lowest net worths of the nominees - $2 million, the same as fellow Oscar rookie Felicity Jones, nominated for her role in “The Theory of Everything.”
Julianne Moore may have never won a gold statue, despite four nominations, but she’s still taking home more green… $40 million, to be precise. Many think this is the year she may finally win for her role in “Still Alice,” so tune back in next year to see if that number jumps at all.
The final two nominees are both Oscar winners – Marion Cotillard, worth some $15 million, and Reese Witherspoon, worth $80 million. That’s a pretty big difference and puts to rest any notion that an Oscar alone will lead your bottom line to skyrocket.
Best Actor
The lowest-ranking actor on the net worth scale is rookie Eddie Redmayne, star of “The Theory of Everything.” At $4 million, though, he’s still worth more than the female newbies.
Michael Keaton and Benedict Cumberbatch, both of whom have appeared in big budget action franchises (“Batman” and “Star Trek,” respectively), are worth about $15 million each.
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Steve Carell, nominated for his turn in “Foxcatcher,” is worth about $50 million. His bottom line was likely boosted by previous roles in blockbusters like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” as well as his turn on television’s “The Office.”
But the real winner in the best actor category, at least when we’re talking money, is Bradley Cooper. Cooper is one of few nominees in history to be nominated three years in a row: This year, for “American Sniper,” last year for “American Hustle,” and the the year prior for “Silver Linings Playbook.” He’s worth roughly $60 million.
Best Supporting Actress
All hail queen Meryl Streep. That’s the lesson to be learned when looking at the net worths of the best supporting actress nominees. Streep, who has more Oscar nominees than any actor or actress in history, is said to be worth about $65 million.
The next closest moneywise is Keira Knightley, reportedly worth $50 million. Knightley’s bottom line has no doubt been boosted by her appearance in the wildly successful “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
Nominee Patricia Arquette comes in at $24 million. While the actress received famously low pay for her nominated role in “Boyhood” (the whole film was shot on a $4 million budget), she has starred in several television shows – something she says has helped pay her bills and send her children to college.
Emma Stone, nominated for “Birdman,” and Laura Dern, nominated for “Wild,” are worth a reported $8 million and $12 million respectively.
Best Supporting Actor
Edward Norton once again proves that being an action star doesn’t hurt your bank account. He’s top of the heap when it comes to net worths of best supporting actors at $70 million. Norton starred in “The Incredible Hulk” back in the day.
The latest actor to play the Hulk, Mark Ruffalo, is not worth quite as much. He comes in at $20 million. Ruffalo is nominated for his role in “Foxcatcher.”
Oscar veteran Robert Duvall is worth $60 million. This is his seventh nomination for an Academy Award; he won one of the seven in 1984.
Ethan Hawke, another multiple nominee with four, is worth a reported $45 million. However, like his co-star Patricia Arquette, he didn’t make much acting in “Boyhood,” for which he is nominated this time.
Last but not least, J.K. Simmons. Picked as a favorite to win the Oscar by USA Today, Simmons is losing when it comes to net worth – he’s at the bottom of the best supporting actor list with $5 million.
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