10 Stars Who Got Paid Peanuts For Major Roles

#1 Tom Cruise – Frank T.J. Mackey, “Magnolia” ($100,000)

Being used to making over $20 million per film, Tom Cruise loved the role so much he accepted only $100,000 for the part. "Magnolia" received solid ratings, and earned Cruise recognition for accepting the film despite the minimal earnings.

#2 Jamie Dornan – Christian Grey, “50 Shades of Grey” ($125,000)

When Charlie Hunnam dropped out, Jamie Dornan stepped in to accept the lead role, only receiving $125,000 for the first film in the proposed series. For the second film, he and co-star Dakota Johnson are in line for a raise of an anticipated $12 million each.

#3 Barkhad Abdi – Muse, “Captain Phillips” ($65,000)

The producers of "Captain Phillips" certainly got their $65,000 worth out Abdi, who based his performance on his own real life experience of living in Mogadishu, Somalia. He took the role to get his foot in the door of Hollywood, and the chance to work alongside Tom Hanks, but so far, no other films have come his way.

#4 Jonah Hill – Donnie Azoff, “The Wolf of Wall Street” ($60,000)

Jonah Hill was offered a role in the Wolf of Wall Street, but decided to take a massive pay cut so that Leonardo DiCaprio could co-star in it, netting himself only $60,000. Although $60,000 may still sound like quite a chunk of change, it was actually the lowest paycheck possible according to union agreements, which were based on the amount of work that Hill had done.

DiCaprio was paid $10 million for his role.

#5 Oprah Winfrey – Sofia, “The Color Purple” ($35,000)

We all know this classic. Oprah Winfrey made her debut film appearance in the 1985 picture, "The Color Purple;" the film was a huge success, had an all-star lineup, and totaled a staggering 11 nominations at the Academy Awards, but did not win a single Oscar. Winfrey was a brand new name in acting and this was a year before she began her infamous talk show. Her $35,000 pay was her jumping point in her career.

#6 Ryan Gosling – Dan Dunne, “Half Nelson” ($25,000)

People started recognize who Gosling was after his appearances in movies such as "Remember the Titans," and "The Notebook," but he had yet to carry an entire movie as the only lead; Gosling would finally get his chance to be the sole star in the film "Half Nelson."

An independent movie, the budget was thin, but it earned Gosling an Academy Award nomination and a string of leading roles such as "Drive" and "Lost River."

#7 Bill Murray – Herman Blume, “Rushmore” ($9,000)

To help out his pals Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, Murray humbly accepted the bare minimum from the Screen Actors Guild's standards for the amount of work he did on the set, and would only make $9,000 for his efforts due to the film's poor reception.

That's some pay cut for him. Of all his other films, his smallest paycheck was $170,000.

#8 Brad Pitt – J.D., “Thelma & Louise” ($6,000)

Back in 1991, Pitt didn't have the kind of Hollywood pull he does today, and he took a low-paying supporting role in the crime drama, "Thelma & Louise," starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. Since it was his first notable role in film, he was happy to take a low payout just for the exposure. Today he is, of course, a household name and a Hollywood icon.

#9 Lindsay Lohan – Tara, “The Canyons” ($2,300)

You get what you pay for.

Trying to restart her floundering career, Lohan's income was set at $100 per day, and the film took a little more than three weeks to complete (almost as long as her career).

"The Canyons" fell as flat as Lohan's attempt to be relevant again.

#10 Jon Voight – Joe Buck, “Midnight Cowboy” ($1,000)

Being a TV star since the mid 1960's, Voight accepted next to no money to appear in his first feature in the 1969 film "Midnight Cowboy," with Dustin Hoffman. He took the bare minimum to appear in the Midnight Cowboy, and was even charged nearly $15 for his meals on the final day of filming. However, it did bring him steady work for many years to come.

But still... $1,000 to be in a big film? That's low!