Star Wars Actors Who Make Way Less Money Than You Thought
When George Lucas created Star Wars in the 1970s, the nerdy, independent filmmaker had no idea that it would turn into one of the most popular film franchises of all time. Nor did he know that he'd eventually sell the whole thing to Disney for a massive chunk of change that would boost Lucas' personal net worth to $5.1 billion.
As for the actors that contributed to his intergalactic universe? Well, some of these stars aren't exactly rolling in it, despite playing key roles in the hugely successful sci-fi films.
Daisy Ridley
As the fledgling Jedi Rey, actress Daisy Ridley is the star of the latest Star Wars trilogy, which captivated audiences with The Force Awakens in 2015 and took the franchise to new heights with The Last Jedi in 2017. If you take a quick stroll down any toy aisle, it's almost impossible to avoid Ridley's face or her lightsaber-wielding battle poses because her portrayal has been a huge hit with new and old Star Wars fans.
Even though she's undoubtedly the anchor for the successful new trilogy that reinvigorated Lucas' 40-year-old universe, Ridley is worth only $6 million. That seems crazy low, especially when you consider that actress Felicity Jones was paid a seven-figure salary upfront just for playing rebel fighter Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Not to mention, Ridley's second film in the iconic franchise absolutely crushed it at the box office. Somebody get Rey a better agent!
John Boyega
John Boyega's Finn is another leading character in Episodes VII through IX. He brought a sense of wonder and humor to the events of the new trilogy, and fans were itching to learn of his fate in The Last Jedi. Boyega was also able to use his newfound fame to land a star role in Pacific Rim: Uprising.
However, he still isn't raking in the big bucks. The British star is worth just $6 million, even after securing a prominent place in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time and leveraging that experience into other leading roles.
Adam Driver
When Girls actor Adam Driver was picked to play the "Darth Vader-like" villain in The Force Awakens, it initially seemed like an odd choice. But Driver delivered as the tormented Kylo Ren, and his hooded mask and unusual lightsaber have become synonymous with Star Wars. You'd think being a new generation's version of Darth Vader (and an HBO star) would come with a sizable fortune.
Think again: Driver's net worth is just $8 million, even though you'd be hard-pressed to find a young Star Wars fan who doesn't have a Kylo Ren lightsaber at the ready.
Gwendoline Christie
Gwendoline Christie was already known to genre fans for her portrayal of Brienne of Tarth on the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, so when it was announced that Christie would play the mysterious silver Stormtrooper, Captain Phasma, her geek credentials were well established with Star Wars fans.
But despite playing a sizable role on the massively popular Game of Thrones and a prominent villain in the new Star Wars trilogy, Christie's net worth is only $3 million.
Lupita Nyong'o
If you didn't realize Lupita Nyong'o is in The Force Awakens, don't feel bad. She plays the entirely CGI character Maz Kanata, a spiritual successor to Yoda for the new trilogy of films. Nyong'o also has the distinction of pulling double duty for Disney by starring in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Black Panther. However, don't assume huge roles in both of the House of Mouse's blockbuster franchises means a huge payday.
Nyong'o has a net worth of just $5 million, which is a drop in the bucket by Hollywood A-list standards. That said, this talented young actress' bottom line will likely keep climbing as she proves herself in Disney's biggest cash cows.
Anthony Daniels
For 40 years, Anthony Daniels has played the iconic golden droid C-3PO in the original Star Wars trilogy, the prequels, and the newest trio of films. He's also voiced the character in radio shows, video games, and cartoons. One would assume that four decades as one of the most recognizable robots in sci-fi history would mean beaucoup bucks for Daniels.
Alas, the actor is worth only $8 million. That's nothing to sneeze at, but by comparison, the late Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia Organa, was worth an estimated $25 million. Then again, when it comes to being an absolute boss in space, you can't beat Princess Leia.
Diego Luna
When Rogue One: A Star Wars Story debuted in 2016, fans were bowled over by the prequel film's original narrative and heavy servings of old-fashioned Star Wars nostalgia. It was a critical success for Disney, but with the exception of Jones, the film's stars aren't rolling in the revenue.
Mexican actor Diego Luna, who's been working professionally since his teens, has a net worth of just $4 million, and he was reportedly paid in the low six-figure range to star in Rogue One as Cassian Andor. That's shocking considering Cassian is easily the second most important character after Jones' Jyn Erso.
Ben Mendelsohn
Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn has been in the business since the early '80's, but even after appearing in The Dark Knight Rises and the Netflix Original Series Bloodline, Mendelsohn's net worth is just $3 million. His performance as Rogue One's main villain Director Krennic didn't help much because he was reportedly paid in the low six-figure range.
However, Mendelsohn is taking a page out of Nyong'o's book and will play another villainous role in Captain Marvel, another massive Disney franchise. Will that improve his fortunes? We'll just have to wait and see.
Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk has been appearing in small yet memorable roles in movies since the '90s, and his TV credentials include fan-favorites Firefly and Arrested Development. Tudyk has also been a veritable voice actor since 2009, which made him the perfect choice to give life to the snarky robot K-2SO in Rogue One.
However, Tudyk's crazy busy schedule has earned him a net worth of only $2 million, which seems surprising low considering the guy is practically in everything! He even did voice work for Halo, one of the biggest video game franchises of all time. Apparently that's still not enough to make it huge in Hollywood.
Mark Hamill
Even after all these years, when people think Star Wars, they think Luke Skywalker. As the star of the original movies that started it all, you'd assume Mark Hamill's iconic role as the farm boy turned Jedi Knight would be the ticket to a massive fortune.
But even after reprising the legendary part in the newest trilogy, Hamill is worth just $18 million. That's a sizable fortune, but it pales in comparison to his original co-stars. Harrison Ford, the actor behind the swashbuckling smuggler Han Solo, is worth $230 million!
However, at the end of the day, Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker, and there's no amount of money in the galaxy that can top that.