11 Actors Who Cared About The Role And Not The Money

Acting is considered as one of the most glamorous professions. It is a well-known fact, that a successful actor can make millions from just one film. But interestingly, there have been times when famous actors were paid way less for their roles.

Here are some of the popular actors who didn’t get the kind of wages you would expect.

1. Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street – $60,000

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Both Hill and Dicaprio played an equally significant role in the film. But their paychecks were very different.

Apparently, he took a pay cut because he was desperate to work with Martin Scorcese.

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2. Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club – $200,000

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The film was made on a small budget and therefore they couldn’t afford the actor’s normal salary. McCoughney liked the script so much that he reduced his wages.

Looking at the success of the film, it seems it was a risk worth taking.

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3. Tom Cruise – Magnolia – $100,000

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Tom Cruise has been one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood. But in the year 1999, when he was at the heights of his stardom, he chose to do this film for almost peanuts.

And what’s more, it was he who approached the filmmakers, than the other way round.

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4. Bill Murray – Rushmore – $9,000

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When this film happened the veteran comedian’s career was going through a lean phase. Luckily, this film proved to be a milestone for him. Although he did receive a lot of critical success for the film yet commercially the film was not very profitable for him.

Well not just that, he also gave the director a cheque for $25,000 to shoot a particular scene.

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5. Ethan Hawke –  The Purge – $0

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Ethan Hawke has been part of some of the most iconic films ever made.

As he did not have any good offers in hand, he agreed to do the film for almost nothing.

The Purge became a blockbuster and Hawke received a fair remuneration as shares of the profit.

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6. Brad Pitt – Thelma & Louise – $6,000

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It was a time when Brad Pitt was not the star he is today. He was just another guy, who wanted to make a mark, it was probably the reason he agreed to do the film for such low wages.

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7. Hilary Swank – Boys Don’t Cry – $3,000

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Today, she is considered as one of the few leading ladies of Hollywood who can carry an entire film on her shoulders. This film made Swank an overnight star. It forced everybody to see and acknowledge her talent.

I guess she doesn’t mind the paycheck, as the film gave her something priceless – An Oscar.

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8. Govinda – Partner- Rs. 0

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Partner was Govinda’s comeback film. The actor had left films and was desperate to make a comeback. So, when partner came along he couldn’t say no. Govinda did not charge anything from the producers and therefore as a good gesture, he was given the signing amount of the sequel, if one is ever made.

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9. Akshay Kumar – Airlift – Rs. 0

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Akshay did not charge a single penny from the producers of the film. Although he completely slashed his acting fees, he did take a major share of the profits. Thanks to the success of Airlift, he won’t regret his move.

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10. Salman Khan – Prem Ratan Dhan Payo – Rs. 0

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It won’t be wrong to say that Salman Khan owes his career to Rajshri Productions. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that for his last venture with the production company, he decided to completely wave his acting fees.

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11. Dharmendra – Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere – Rs. 51

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This was his debut film and quite understandably the reason for his small wage. Even back then, Rs. 51 was not a huge amount. But it helped Dharmendra to establish himself as one of the most popular actors of the industry.

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Well, it seems that actors don’t always get the hefty paychecks that we except they do.

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