So I was talking to my mate Oscar the other day about who is acing things in Hollywood right now. In fact, we got downright heated about it. He reckons it’s all about the Marvel lot, but I reckon there’s more to it than that.
The thing is, trying to figure out who the biggest film stars in the world right now are isn’t as easy as it may seem. Yes, we all have our favourites, but the statistics present a different picture. And hell, some of these are guaranteed to surprise you.
Dwayne Johnson – The Bloke Who Never Says No
Yeah, The Rock’s everywhere, right? I swear every time I pop into the cinema, there’s his massive grin on a poster somewhere. He began as a wrestler; now he’s arguably wealthier than some small nations.
What slays me about Johnson is how he chooses his films. The range of films he has done is vast, as they include cars, monsters, and jungle adventures. If Dwayne’s in it, people watch it. My nan loves him. My 8-year-old nephew loves him. That’s real, proper star power, that is.
Ryan Reynolds – Taking the Piss and Making Millions
Reynolds is having a laugh with all of us, and we’re paying him for the pleasure. Deadpool was mental; who’d have thought that a superhero movie could be so rude and make money? But that’s Ryan for you.
I met someone at a party who worked on one of his films. He said he is precisely like the characters he plays. Just proper sarcastic and funny. No wonder people queue up to watch him.
Margot Robbie – Aussie Lass Done Good
Barbie was mad, wasn’t it? My sister dragged me to the cinema to see it, and I thought it would be garbage. Robbie’s got this thing where she makes everything look effortless.
She was also in that Harley Quinn film as well, which my teenage cousin is obsessed with. Well, she can do whatever she wants, be it comedy, action, or drama.
Tom Holland – Our Spider-Man
Holland’s one of ours, and he’s absolutely killing it. He began gymnastics when he was a child; now he’s swinging around New York and making millions. Fair play to him.
I saw Tom on that talk show with Graham Norton once. Proper down to earth, he was. Still sounds like he can’t believe his good fortune. That’s perhaps why people like him so much.
Zendaya – The Quiet Achiever
This girl’s clever. Really clever. She is in everything good that’s coming out these days. Spider-Man, Dune, and that HBO thing everyone bangs on about. Never puts a foot wrong.
My daughter thinks she’s the coolest person alive. Can’t argue with that, to be honest. Zendaya just seems to pick the right projects every single time.
Chris Hemsworth – Thor with the Lot
Hemsworth has that whole Thor thing sorted, hasn’t he? Big muscles, big hammer, big box office numbers. But he’s much funnier than you might think. Have you seen the Ghostbusters movie? Proper laugh.
Also Australian, which appears to be a theme here. Guess they’re just better at this acting thing than the rest of us.
Scarlett Johansson – Been There, Done That
Johansson’s been around my whole life, but wow, is she still killing it. Black Widow finally got her own film, and it’s about time. For years, she’s been carrying half of the Marvel movies.
Works with real directors too, not just the blockbuster crowd. That takes guts when you could just do superhero films and retire early.
Robert Downey Jr – The Comeback Story
It all changed with Iron Man, didn’t it? Downey was a washout in Hollywood, then boom; add one robot suit and he’s the highest-paid actor on the planet.
Now, that’s what I call a comeback. It makes you think about second chances and the like. Plus, he seems like he’d be a right laugh down the pub.
Will Smith – Still Going Strong
Sure, Smith’s had his ups and downs of late, but let’s not kid ourselves; the guy is still a huge draw. I’ve been watching his films since I was a kid. Fresh Prince, Men in Black, I Am Legend. Proper entertainer.
You know that feeling: even if it’s a stinker, you will still watch his films because, well, it’s Will Smith! That’s star quality right there.
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Serious One
DiCaprio doesn’t mess around, does he? Every film’s like an event. He works with the best directors, selects the strongest script, and wins the awards. It took him ages to get an Oscar, too (and that was just getting silly), didn’t it?
Climate change activist as well, which is more than fair when you have that kind of stage.
What Makes Them Special?
These 10 are the biggest film stars in the world because they’ve figured out the formula for success. They’re not just actors, but they’re brands. People trust them to entertain.
Some are comedic, some serious; others just explode stuff real good. But they all put bums on seats, and that’s what counts in the end.
The movie business has changed massively since I was growing up. Now the focus is global. These stars work in China, India, and all over the place. That is where the real money is.
Anyway, that’s my take on it. Oscar still disagrees, but what does he know? He considers the Fast and Furious movies to be high art.
