10 Highest Paid Actors in Hollywood and the Causes they Support

Last week it was ladies first with the 10 highest paid actresses and their causes and today we’ll be looking at the philanthropic efforts of the 10 highest paid actors in Hollywood based on Forbes Magazine’s ranking. In the past, I’ve featured similar celebrity lists like the 10 Most Charitable Celebrities from the 2013 Oscar nominees, the top 20 Celebrity Gone Good Part 1 (and Part 2), the 5 Celebrity Charity Events by Musicians, the 10 Celebrities Doing Interesting Things to Change the World, the 10 most charitable celebrities and the 10 Celebrities Doing Good for Women and Girls. I like to try to highlight the good celebrities do rather than focus on what winds up in the gossip pages. So with help from Forbes and Look to the Stars, the 10 highest paid actors in Hollywood and the causes they support are:

1. Robert Downey Jr. – Salary: $75 million. In May, the Iron Man 3 star surprised children and teenagers, who volunteered with the Police Athletic League during Hurricane Sandy, at a special screening of the film. He has also supported charities like Clothes Off Our Back, March Of Dimes, Midnight Mission, Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, Orca Network and Robin Hood Foundation.
2. Channing Tatum – Salary: $60 million. The Magic Mike star and his actress wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum helped raise millions for the Rainforest Foundation at New York City’s Carnegie Hall during a special charity concert in 2012. He has supported organizations such as Dizzy Feet Foundation and Keep A Child Alive.
3. Hugh Jackman – Salary: $55 million. The star of the blockbuster move Wolverine is also well known for his charity work. Recently, he announced a “One Night Only” performance of his show “Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway” in Hollywood on October 12th, 2013 to support the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation (MPTF). We have written about his charitable Laughing Man coffee and he has also supported charities including Actors Fund of America, Aid Still Required, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Family Health International, Global Poverty Project, Onyx and Breezy Foundation, Operation of Hope, PROJECT ZAMBI, Red Cross, Starlight Children’s Foundation, The Art of Elysium, Think Global, Urban Zen Foundation and Worldwide Orphans Foundation.
4. Mark Wahlberg – Salary: $52 million. The Ted star created The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which works to “improve the quality of life for inner city youth through a working partnership with other youth organizations.” He had also supported organizations such as A Place Called Home, Elevate Hope Foundation, Felix Organization, LIVESTRONG, Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation, Red Cross, St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, The Art of Elysium, The Gentlemen’s Fund, The Saban Free Clinic and Tony Hawk Foundation.
5. Dwayne Johnson – Salary: $46 million. Formerly known as The Rock in his (successful) wrestling career before embarking on his (even more successful) movie career, which includes the blockbuster The Fast & Furious 6, he makes giving back a priority. Dwayne devotes time to helping children through the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation and also as one of the directors of The Beacon Experience. He also supports Boot Campaign, I Have a Dream Foundation, Kids Wish Network, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Parkinson Society Maritime Region, Red Cross, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Until There’s a Cure.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio – Salary: $39 million. The Great Gatsby star’s philanthropy is well publicized.  One cause close to his heart is the environment as he has made several films to educate the public about earth issues including 11th Hour and co-created the global campaign Save Tigers Now with World Wildlife Fund. He founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which in 2012 partnered with La Colombe Torrefaction “to create a new, ultra high-end coffee line, LYON. Under the alliance one-hundred percent of the net profits from the sale of LYON will be donated to environmental charities supported by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation.” He has also supported Cinema For Peace, Declare Yourself, Feeding America, Film Foundation, Global Cool, Global Green, International Fund For Animal Welfare, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pediatric Epilepsy Project, Reef Check Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, Stop Global Warming, The Gorilla Organization, TreePeople, Unite for Japan and WildAid.
7. Adam Sandler – Salary: $37 million. The Grown Ups 2 actor once donated $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club in his hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire. Sandler also supports Animal Rescue Foundation, Ante Up For Africa, Autism Speaks, Chris Farley Foundation, Clothes Off Our Back, EB Medical Research Foundation, ENOUGH Project, Feeding America, Life Rolls On Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Not On Our Watch and Toys for Tots.
8. Tom Cruise – Salary: $35 million. The star of Jack Reacher serves as role model for those wanting to give back. He overcame dyslexia to become a top celebrity, and supports education programs to help others. In fact, he was a founding Board Member for the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project that teaches kids how to read and succeed. Other charities the Mission Impossible star has supported includes Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Children’s Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, H.E.L.P., Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, Mentor LA, Raising Malawi, Stockings With Care and UNICEF.
9. Denzel Washington – Salary: $33 million. The Oscar winner has spent considerable time visiting injured soldiers at Fisher Houses and has made donations to the cause. He has also been a spokesperson for the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America and a “Lifetime Founder Member of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.” The two-time Oscar winner has also worked with Artists for a New South Africa, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Elevate Hope Foundation, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Farm Sanctuary, Fulfillment Fund, Hillsides, Keep A Child Alive, Luke Neuhedel Foundation, Project Angel Food, Save Africa’s Children and Stand Up To Cancer.
10. Liam Neeson – Salary: $32 million. The Taken star has supported the following charities: 10×10, 21st Century Leaders, American Foundation for AIDS Research, Bicycle For A Day, Clothes Off Our Back, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Helen & Douglas House, The Ireland Funds, Make Poverty History, Medicinema, ONE Campaign, PeacePlayers International, UNICEF and Whatever It Takes.

These men are striving to use their wealth and influence to make the world a better place. Their celebrity status allows them to shine a light on these causes that are close to their hearts.

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