Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson tops Forbes list of celebrity earners

As a WWE superstar, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson held a number of titles throughout his career. And according to Forbes, he just claimed another.

Johnson holds the No. 1 spot on the magazine’s 2019 list of the world’s highest-paid celebrities. He took home almost $90 million over the past year, beating out actor Chris Hemsworth by $13 million.

Other names on the list included Will Smith, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Bradley Cooper, and Adam Sandler.

Dwayne’s payday

Johnson’s salary comes from a myriad of sources, including his starring role in Jumanji: The Next Level, scheduled for release in December. The sequel’s upfront salary reportedly accounts for over a quarter of Johnson’s total yearly haul.

Forbes also reported that Johnson collects 15% of “the pool” from the fantasy-adventure series. (The term refers gross revenue minus some, but not all, overall expenses.)

Another film franchise to which Johnson is tied is Fast and Furious. Johnson reprises his role as secret agent Luke Hobbs in the new spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw.

An additional source of cash for Johnson is his role on the HBO series Ballers. Staring as a retired professional football player, Johnson commands $700,000 per episode.

What’s more, Johnson is the creator of The Titan Games. Carried by NBC, the series features participants squaring off in athletic contests.

Incredibly, the multi-talented Johnson also boasts substantial involvement in the clothing business as well, partnering with Under Armour to produce a line called Project Rock, which he describes as having an all-encompassing philosophical concept. Johnson said of the line:

Project Rock is not a brand, it’s a movement. It’s a core belief, that I 100% don’t care what color you are, how old you are, where you come from or what you do for a living. The only thing I care about is you and me, building the belief that regardless of whatever the odds, we can overcome and achieve—but it all starts with the work we’re willing to put in with our two hands.

Secrets to success

So what’s Johnson’s secret to success?

“It has to be audience first,” Johnson told Forbes. “What does the audience want, and what is the best scenario that we can create that will send them home happy?”

So far, Johnson’s formula definitely seems to be working.

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