You say the phrase 'world's richest actor' and the usual suspects pop into your head. Some of the most successful actors in the world - the likes of Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Dwayne Johnson and Shah Rukh Khan - have to be the wealthiest too. And sure, they are among the wealthiest but not the absolute richest. That honour goes to a man who has just one hit film series, and yet towers above these superstars.

The world's richest actor is...

Tyler Perry is the surprise name that sits atop the list of the world's richest male actors. The actor, filmmaker, and playwright is a billionaire. As per multiple sources (Bloomberg, Forbes), he is worth around $1.4 billion ( ₹11,500 crore), more than any other male actor in the world. Another surprising name - comedian Jerry Seinfeld - comes in next with a net worth of $1 billion.

The two are followed by superstars Dwayne Johnson ($890 million), Shah Rukh Khan ($870 million), and Tom Cruise ($800 million). Perry is best known for creating and portraying the character of Mabel 'Madea' Simmons in the hit comedy franchise Madea. The series comprises of 12 live-action films, 11 plays, and a bunch of TV appearances. But Perry has done little work in films apart from this series.

It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive list of the world's richest actors but only male actors. If female actors are included as well, Jemi Gertz (with a staggering $8-billion net worth) tops the list, while Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez - both billionaires - enter the top five too.

How Tyler Perry made his big billion dollars

Tyler Perry's money does come from the world of entertainment but not just from acting. As per Forbes, he has earned $320 million (approximately ₹2,679 crore) as the creator and producer of Madea and his other films and plays. Perry is one of the only actors in Hollywood to own his own studio, which allows him to produce content in-house and eliminate the middle-man. In addition, he also has a deal with media giant ViacomCBS, which gives him a 25% stake in BET+ platform worth $60 million (over ₹500 crore). Forbes also reports that Tyler Perry has $300 million (approximately ₹2,511 crore) in “cash and investments” and $40 million (approximately ₹334 crore) in “homes and toys.” All this combines to make him the world's richest actor.

Tyler Perry also has a connection with UK's Prince Harry and his wife, former actor Meghan Markle. The couple stayed in one of Perry's houses (read villas) when they first moved to the US.

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