Bankable stars in the context of "Leonardo DiCaprio"

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⭐ Core Definition: Bankable stars

In the film industry, a bankable star is a film actor (movie star) "capable of guaranteeing box-office success simply by showing up in a movie". The bankability of an actor includes their films' box office track record, professional demeanor, and other factors. Hiring a bankable star helps a film company to secure investment, distribution, and garner media attention. Some bankable stars have so much star power that even films without a strong concept or "hook"―such as star vehicle films―are feasible to make.

A bankable director is a similar notion.

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In this Dossier

Bankable stars in the context of Tom Cruise

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and film producer. Regarded as a Hollywood icon, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or, an Academy Honorary Award, and three Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for four competitive Academy Awards. As of 2025, his films have grossed over $13.3 billion worldwide, placing him among the highest-grossing actors of all time. One of Hollywood's most bankable stars, he is consistently one of the world's highest-paid actors.

Cruise began acting in the early 1980s and made his breakthrough with leading roles in Risky Business (1983) and Top Gun (1986), the latter earning him a reputation as a sex symbol. Critical acclaim came with his roles in the dramas The Color of Money (1986), Rain Man (1988), and Born on the Fourth of July (1989). For his portrayal of Ron Kovic in the latter, he won a Golden Globe Award and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. As a leading Hollywood star in the 1990s, he starred in commercially successful films, including the drama A Few Good Men (1992), the thriller The Firm (1993), the horror film Interview with the Vampire (1994), and the sports comedy-drama Jerry Maguire (1996); for the latter, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and his second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Cruise's performance in the drama Magnolia (1999) earned him another Golden Globe Award and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

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Bankable stars in the context of Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in many films over seven decades, and is one of the highest-grossing actors in the world. Ford's accolades include nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, an Emmy Award, five Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is the recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award, Cecil B. DeMille Award, Honorary César, and Honorary Palme d'Or, and he was honored as a Disney Legend in 2024.

After making his screen debut in 1966 and early supporting roles in the films American Graffiti (1973) and The Conversation (1974), Ford achieved global stardom for portraying Han Solo in the space opera film Star Wars (1977), a role he reprised in five films for the eponymous franchise spanning the next four decades. He also received recognition for his portrayal of the titular character in the Indiana Jones franchise (1981–2023); Rick Deckard in the Blade Runner franchise (1982–2017); Jack Ryan in the action thriller films Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994); and Thaddeus Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: Brave New World (2025). These roles established him as an action hero and one of Hollywood's most bankable stars from the late 1970s into the early 2000s.

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Bankable stars in the context of Will Smith

Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Grammy Awards. Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $10 billion worldwide, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.

Smith first gained recognition as part of a hip hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff, with whom he released five studio albums which contained five Billboard Hot 100-top 20 singles—"Parents Just Don't Understand", "A Nightmare on My Street", "Summertime", "Ring My Bell", and "Boom! Shake the Room"—from 1985 to 1994. He released the solo albums Big Willie Style (1997), Willennium (1999), Born to Reign (2002), and Lost and Found (2005), which spawned the U.S. number-one singles "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" and "Wild Wild West". He has won four Grammy Awards for his recording career.

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