First actor to reach $1 million for a film role
Actors and actresses were given jobs under a contract system during the years when studio domination in Hollywood permitted the studios to control their compensation. The studio system gradually disappeared throughout the 1950s, and actors effectively became independent contractors. They could therefore use their box office success to command steadily increasing payments for their services.
The first actor to do so was paid $1 million for a role in a single movie in 1962, using his then-immense popularity. Marlon Brando played the part of Fletcher Christian in the MGM adaptation of Mutiny on the Bounty. Only half of that sum, though, was for his performance. The remaining funds came from consultation fees and $5,000 every extra day of shooting. Marlon made almost $1.2 million before the film was released. The movie ultimately ran a loss. plenty of cash.
He was the first actor to earn $1 million for a film role, though. His reputation was damaged and he gained a reputation for being challenging to deal with due to the film's problematic production. He married his co-star and bought an island close to Tahiti to console himself. Elizabeth Taylor became the first actress to collect $1 million for a single part the next year by employing a different strategy.
