George Clooney highest paid actor ever

George Clooney made more money last year than any actor across a 12-month period – thanks in part to the sale of the tequila company he co-founded.

Forbes estimates the 57-year-old star made $239m (£180m) in pre-tax earnings in the year beginning 1 June 2017.

That puts him second in its annual list of the world’s best-paid celebrities, a place behind boxer Floyd Mayweather.

Kylie Jenner is placed third in the Celebrity 100 countdown, having made an estimated $166.5m (£125.5m) last year.

Earlier this month Forbes said the social media star was on track to become “the youngest-ever self-made billionaire”.

U2, and British acts Coldplay and Ed Sheeran are also included in a top 10 alongside global football stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Celebrity 100 list ranks “front of the camera” stars around the globe using their estimated pre-tax earnings from 1 June 2017 to 1 June 2018.

Of the 100 top-earning celebrities, just 15 were women – down one compared with last year’s list.

Times are pretty good for those who made it to this year’s list: the world’s 100 top-earning celebrities pulled in a combined $6.3bn (£4.8bn) over the past 12 months – up 22% from last year.

Eleven superstars now cross the $100m (£75.6m) threshold – more than double the number from the last two years combined.