Mark Wahlberg was named Forbes’ highest-paid actor of 2017 raking in more than $68 million.
The 46-year-old maximized his revenue from multiple executive producing roles, starring in hit movies as well as continued royalties from his 1991 song “Good Vibrations.”
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“I grew up with nothing,” he told Men’s Fitness in a 2015 interview. “In America, in one generation you can turn that around.”
This is Wahlberg’s biggest payday of his career, despite having a fairly poor year at the box office. His oil spill biopic Deepwater Horizon grossed just enough to cover its budget of $110 million managing just $121.8 million worldwide.
His retell of the Boston Marathon bombing film, Patriots Day, grossed $50.5 million on $45 million production costs. The most expensive of his films this year was the Transformer movie, which grossed $601.1 million on a $217 million budget.
Read on to see where Wahlberg’s money comes from.
Acting
Wahlberg generally earns $15 million to $17 million up front for studio films. He pulled in that amount for the upcoming Daddy’s Home sequel, Deepwater Horizon and Transformers: The Last Night.
He also brings in millions from his lucrative backend deals with studios. For example, he took home more than $40 million on this year’s Transformers film alone.
TV Pitchman
In addition to the millions that he makes on movies, Wahlberg knows that there is also money in commercials.
If you have been near a TV recently, you have probably seen Wahlberg on your screen pitching a deal with AT&T.
His deal showcasing the telecommunications company’s wireless and internet packages has earned him a total of $12 million to $13 million.
Producing
Yes, Wahlberg is everywhere – even behind the screens producing hit series.
His fee for producing shows such as HBO’s Entourage, Boardwalk Empire and Ballers is said to be between $50,000 to $75,000. He also produces USA’s Shooter and his family’s A&E reality show Wahlburgers.
Wahlburgers Chain
Speaking of his family’s restaurant, the Wahlburgers chain has spread to 14 locations and there are plans to expand to a total of 118 within the next five to seven years.
Each of the restaurants provide Wahlberg with a $40,000 franchise fee, plus six percent of the annual profits.
The Wahlburgers restaurants are profitable, as the original location in Hingham, Massachusetts, makes $5 million a year.
Marky Mark Money
His 1991 hit “Good Vibrations” continues to grow in popularity over the years. The song has been used in 18 TV shows and films, most recently in 2016’s The Do-Over. Wahlberg earns royalties every time it is played.
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