Christopher Meloni Highest-Paid Actor in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Christopher Meloni
Christopher Meloni led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid actors” released on Friday.

It's been a rough year for the actor, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 64-year-old Christopher Meloni has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid actors for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 17/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Christopher Meloni tops annual list of highest-paid actors

In 2023 it looked like the actor’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (January 16) that Meloni is the highest-paid actor in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between December 2024 and December 2025, a nearly $20 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American actor has an estimated net worth of $145 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Meloni Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Washington, D.C. Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondermeloni - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Christopher) and a fashion line called “Christopher Meloni Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Christopher fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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