Denzel Washington | American Gangster

Doing 64 costume changes for just one movie can be very exhausting. Denzel Washington showed a great degree of dedication for the movie American Gangster by enduring that number of costume changes. What was in store for him, though? Well, a whopping $40 million. With the film eventually earning more than $266 million, we can say that all his efforts were worth it.

American Gangster is not the only huge payday for the Academy Award-winning actor. He also received $12 million for Training Day. His latest films, 2 Guns and The Book of Eli, each earned him $20 million. Apart from monetary awards, Washington has also been the recipient of various accolades since the 1980s, mainly for his portrayal of prominent real-life figures, including Steve Biko, Malcolm X, and Herman Boone. When he dabbled in directing, his third film, Fences, was nominated for an Academy Award.