Star made $73m in 2023, says Forbes, despite his films’ absence from cinemas
Anita Singh Arts and Entertainment Editor 
Adam Sandler has become Hollywood’s highest-paid actor as a result of his deal with Netflix.
Sandler made $73 million (£57 million) last year, according to Forbes magazine. Murder Mystery 2, in which he starred opposite Jennifer Aniston, was one of the streamer’s biggest comedy hits.
The Forbes list has traditionally been dominated by stars of cinema, from Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford to Tom Cruise and George Clooney.
Sandler’s position at the top demonstrates the new power of streaming services. Neither Murder Mystery 2 nor Sandler’s other big film of 2023, Leo, were shown on the big screen.
The actor signed a reported $250 million renewal deal with Netflix in 2020, amid claims subscribers had spent two billion hours watching his films since 2015. “There’s no such thing as too much Sandler,” the company said at the time.
The original Murder Mystery was the most-watched film on the streaming platform in 2019.
Murder Mystery 2 received lukewarm reviews from critics but 42 million views in its opening weekend, appearing in Netflix’s top 10 in 91 countries.
The deal also allows Sandler, 57, to make more serious fare. This year he released Spaceman, in which he plays a Czech astronaut mourning the breakdown of his marriage.
Last year he also released the low-key coming-of-age story You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, playing a Jewish father.
His 2023 earnings were boosted by a string of stand-up comedy dates.
Margot Robbie was second on the Forbes list with earnings of $59 million thanks to her star turn in Barbie, which she also co-produced. At 33, she is the youngest person in the top 10 by a decade.
She was followed by Tom Cruise, Ryan Gosling, her Barbie co-star, and Matt Damon.
Sandler’s Murder Mystery partner Jennifer Aniston was sixth, followed by Leonardo DiCaprio, Jason Statham, Ben Affleck and Denzel Washington.
The highest earner in 2022 was actor, writer and studio boss Tyler Perry, while Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson topped the list for three years before that.
