Forbes names Wahlberg top earner

Mark Wahlberg earned $68 million before taxes over the past 12 months. [Photo/Agencies]

Rapper-turned-actor Mark Wahlberg was named the world's highest paid actor on Tuesday, having earned an estimated $68 million before taxes over the past 12 months.

The 46-year-old won the top spot on a list compiled by Forbes magazine, thanks to earnings from Transformers: The Last Knight and comedy Daddy's Home 2, due out in November.

"The former may have scored a miserable 15 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the lowest gross of the franchise to date, but Wahlberg need not worry－fixed compensation means he benefits even when movies don't do well," says Forbes.

Dwayne Johnson, who placed first in 2016, is in second place this time with $65 million, after starring in the film reboot of lifeguard action-comedy Baywatch and in the HBO comedy Ballers.

The former wrestler appears in the fantasy adventure remake Jumanji due for release in December and Rampage, a monster movie based on the 1980s arcade game, slated to hit screens in April next year.

The top 10 men continue to outearn their female counterparts by a huge margin－$488.5 million compared with just $172.5 million－a disparity Forbes attributed in part to the preponderance of superhero movies and action blockbusters that offer few starring roles for women.

Vin Diesel, who co-stars with Johnson in the Fast and Furious franchise, came in third on the men's list with $54.5 million, just ahead of comedy actor Adam Sandler, who made $50.5 million, largely because of a deal with Netflix that allows him to produce his own movies.

Rounding out the top five is Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan, who's still hugely popular in China. He made $49.5 million over the last 12 months.

Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise and Bollywood kings Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar rounded out the top 10.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE