When it comes to the world of branding, playing it safe rarely makes headlines. The 10 marketing risks we explore below show how daring, sometimes reckless, decisions helped brands cut through the noise and win big. Whether a campaign sparked controversy, leaned into self‑deprecation, or flipped industry norms on their heads, each gamble paid off in ways that reshaped the brand’s story.

10 Nike Took a Knee With Colin Kaepernick

In 2018, Nike rolled out one of its most polarizing campaigns by putting former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick front and center. The spot featured his portrait alongside the stark message, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Nike aired it during NFL season, fully aware it could inflame fans, conservatives, and even some of its own athlete partners. The immediate backlash was fierce—videos of shoes being set ablaze flooded social feeds, and #BoycottNike trended for days.

Yet the move wasn’t a shot in the dark. Internal research revealed that Nike’s core audience—young, urban, socially‑aware consumers—viewed Kaepernick as a hero, not a liability. The result? Sales jumped 31% over the opening weekend, social engagement shattered previous records, and the stock surged to an all‑time high within two months. Kaepernick became a long‑term ambassador alongside LeBron James and Serena Williams. The campaign snagged an Emmy, a Cannes Lion, and rewrote the playbook for brands taking a stand without self‑destructing.

9 Old Spice Got Weird—and It Worked

Old Spice had long been associated with older generations, and by the late 2000s it was fading into obscurity against rivals like Axe. Enter the 2010 “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” spot starring Isaiah Mustafa, a surreal, over‑the‑top ad that featured shirt‑less moments, teleporting showers, diamonds spilling from his hands, and a final gallop on a horse. It was a radical departure for a brand that hadn’t felt cool in decades.

The clip exploded online, racking up millions of views in just three days. The real masterstroke came next: Old Spice launched a massive real‑time response campaign, delivering more than 180 personalized video replies from Mustafa to fans on Twitter and Reddit—including shout‑outs to Ellen DeGeneres, Digg users, and even a marriage proposal. The internet went wild, sales of the body wash doubled, and Old Spice vaulted to become America’s #1 men’s grooming line.

8 Burger King Told Customers to Eat at McDonald’s

Amid the economic turmoil of the 2020 pandemic, Burger King UK posted a startling tweet that simply read, “Order from McDonald’s.” The message continued, urging people to support any fast‑food chain—KFC, Subway, Domino’s, Five Guys, or even independent eateries—because they all needed a lifeline. This wasn’t a gimmick; it was a heartfelt call for solidarity as thousands of hospitality workers faced furloughs and layoffs.

For a brand famous for trolling its rivals, especially McDonald’s, this was a bold pivot. Instead of brand‑centric bragging, Burger King chose empathy. The tweet went viral, earning praise for its maturity and community spirit. Global news outlets highlighted the move, and sentiment toward Burger King surged across demographics. The campaign reinforced the brand’s image as both flavorful and compassionate, while shining a spotlight on an industry on the brink.

7 Volvo Let a Truck Drive Over Jean‑Claude Van Damme

In 2013, Volvo Trucks wanted to showcase its new precision‑steering tech, but rather than a dry demo they hired Jean‑Claude Van Damme to perform an epic split between two moving semi‑trucks. The stunt, filmed at sunrise, saw the trucks drift backward down an empty runway while Van Damme held the split, with no visible safety harness. The risk was palpable—one slip could have turned the campaign into a disaster.

The gamble paid off instantly. The video amassed over 100 million views within days, sparking countless parody videos and a wave of social‑media challenges. Volvo Truck sales in key markets rose more than 30%, and the brand earned prestigious awards across the advertising world. The campaign elevated Volvo’s image beyond rugged machinery, positioning it as a maker of sleek, precise equipment, while giving Van Damme a pop‑culture resurgence.

6 Liquid Death Sold Water Like It Was Beer

When Liquid Death hit the market in 2019, it presented canned mountain water with a heavy‑metal aesthetic—gothic skulls, bold slogans like “Murder Your Thirst,” and ads that featured water‑boarding (with water), faux infomercials starring possessed children, and cans being exorcised. Critics dismissed it as style over substance, and many retailers hesitated to stock the product.

Nevertheless, the brand carved a niche for “water for people who hate health branding.” Punk bands, MMA fighters, tattoo artists, and skaters embraced it, and the company even offered a tongue‑in‑cheek “sell your soul” contract on its site. By 2023, Liquid Death was valued at over $700 million, stocked in Whole Foods, 7‑Eleven, and Target, and backed by celebrity investors like Tony Hawk and Wiz Khalifa—all while selling plain water in tall cans with no alcohol, caffeine, or sugar, just attitude.

5 Apple’s 1984 Ad Nearly Didn’t Air

Apple’s iconic “1984” Super Bowl commercial, directed by Ridley Scott, cost nearly $1 million to produce—a massive budget at the time. The minute‑long spot depicted a dystopian, Orwellian world being shattered by a hammer‑throwing rebel, symbolizing the upcoming Macintosh launch. When Apple’s board saw the finished ad, they were terrified, deeming it too strange, confusing, and abstract for a tech product, and wanted to pull the plug and sell back the airtime.

Steve Jobs and marketing chief Lee Clow pushed forward regardless. The ad aired just once during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII in 1984. That single airing sparked endless replay on news outlets, hailed as revolutionary. The Macintosh launch two days later was a massive success. The ad is now celebrated as one of the greatest commercials ever, preserved in the Museum of Modern Art. Had the board won, Apple might never have been linked with rebellion and creativity.

4 Patagonia Told You Not to Buy Their Jacket

On Black Friday 2011, Patagonia placed a full‑page ad in the New York Times with the headline, “Don’t Buy This Jacket.” Below was a photo of their best‑selling fleece, accompanied by copy urging readers to consider the environmental cost of producing even one “eco‑friendly” product. The ad wasn’t promoting a sale; it was calling out the culture of over‑consumption, including Patagonia’s role in it.

The move could have killed holiday sales or painted Patagonia as self‑righteous. Instead, it boosted credibility with eco‑conscious shoppers, driving brand trust sky‑high. Sales rose over 30% the following year, and Patagonia doubled down with initiatives like Worn Wear (a resale marketplace), lifetime guarantees, and a pledge to donate all profits to environmental causes. In 2022, its founder transferred ownership of the entire company to a climate trust, aligning the brand’s messaging with radical corporate action and proving that authenticity can be a powerful marketing engine.

3 Carlsberg Admitted Its Beer Wasn’t the Best

Carlsberg’s famous tagline—“Probably the best beer in the world”—had long been a staple across Europe. By the late 2010s, however, cost‑cutting had eroded quality, sales in the UK were slipping, and younger drinkers saw the brand as outdated. The company took a daring step: a campaign that opened with “Probably not the best beer in the world,” openly admitting the product had declined.

The ads highlighted angry tweets, low ratings, and harsh taste‑test results, then unveiled a new brewing process with better ingredients and a smoother finish. Carlsberg even released videos of staff reading customer insults aloud. The honesty sparked massive attention, and within months sales and brand sentiment rose, especially among younger consumers who appreciated the candid reset. A follow‑up campaign kept the cheeky tone with “New Carlsberg Pilsner: Rebrewed From Head to Hop.”

2 Reddit Spent Its Entire Super Bowl Budget on a 5‑Second Ad

Super Bowl spots are the holy grail of brand exposure, typically featuring humor or celebrity cameos. In 2021, Reddit flipped the script, spending its whole ad budget on a five‑second glitch‑style commercial that mimicked a broadcast error. The screen flashed to a block of text referencing the recent GameStop saga, Reddit’s community power, and the idea that “underdogs can accomplish just about anything.” Most viewers missed it live.

But the internet didn’t. Users rewound, paused, and screenshotted the ad, flooding social media. Reddit trended on Twitter, news outlets dissected the message, and platform engagement spiked. The $1 million, blink‑and‑you‑miss‑it gamble turned into tens of millions of dollars in earned media, reinforcing Reddit’s identity as a chaotic, community‑driven disruptor.

1 Domino’s Admitted Their Pizza Was Terrible—and Customers Loved It

By 2009, Domino’s was in trouble. Years of poor reviews, taste‑test failures, and internet ridicule cemented a reputation for pizza that “tastes like cardboard.” Instead of quietly tweaking the recipe, Domino’s made the boldest move possible: publicly admitting their pizza sucked. The “Pizza Turnaround” campaign featured real employees reading harsh customer feedback on camera—comments like “worst pizza I ever had” and “the crust tastes like microwaved Styrofoam.” The company then documented a full recipe overhaul, rebuilding sauce, dough, and cheese from scratch.

Most brands shy away from any public self‑criticism, let alone making it the centerpiece of a campaign. Domino’s risked alienating loyal customers and drawing more attention to its flaws. Yet the gamble paid off: the new pizza earned better reviews, the campaign was praised for its honesty, and Domino’s stock price tripled over the next few years. Embracing a “work‑in‑progress” image, the brand won back lapsed customers by showing it was listening. The case is now taught in MBA and advertising courses as a masterclass in turning self‑awareness into success.

10 Marketing Risks That Paid Off

These ten daring moves prove that taking a calculated risk can transform a brand’s fortunes. From controversial statements to self‑deprecating humor, each example shows how boldness, authenticity, and a willingness to break the rules can lead to massive payoff.

10 Tips Getting Started

Do you like the idea of being paid to write? 10 tips getting you started are right here. Well, you’ve come to the right place. In case you hadn’t heard, the platform is on the lookout for fresh talent. If you have an idea and a knack for arranging words, we’ll pay you US $100. No joke. Our submissions page is completely open, and anyone can enter. That means you.

1 Write What You Know

The golden rule of list‑writing is simple: write about something you already understand. You don’t need a fancy degree or a wall of experience. Whether you’re fascinated by Chinese culture or obsessed with space photography, you can turn that passion into a list. A broad topic like “10 Bizarre Aspects of Chinese Culture” works just as well as a laser‑focused one such as “10 Astounding Examples of Pareidolia in Outer Space.” The key is to trust that you already have a usable idea, and then shape it into a list that fits the platform’s style.

2 Find an Unexpected Angle

Once you’ve settled on a subject, give it a twist that catches the eye. The more surprising the perspective, the more likely editors will bite. Think of titles like “10 Medicines That Made Things Worse” or “10 Bizarre Theories About the Earth That People Still Believe.” Even controversial angles work well; an article titled “10 Reasons Creationism Should Be Taught in Schools” sparked a flood of comments and debate. Your job is to locate that little hook that makes a familiar topic feel fresh and provocative.

3 Follow The Editorial Guidelines

Every publishing site has a house style, and the platform is no exception. Before you type a single word, download the author guide and study it. Ignoring the rules is a fast way to get a polite rejection. My second article was a disaster because I wrote exactly what I wanted, disregarding format, length, and tone. Treat the guidelines like a roadmap; they tell you how to structure your list, how many items to include, and what kind of language the editors expect.

4 Keep Language Simple And Punchy

Great writers such as Orwell, Hemingway, and McCarthy proved that complex ideas can be delivered with short, direct sentences. Avoid tangled sub‑clauses and fancy vocabulary. Readers are usually scrolling through a break at work or a classroom, looking for quick entertainment. Short, digestible points let them feel smart without wading through academic jargon. Break each fact into a crisp sentence and let the list do the heavy lifting.

5 Adopt An Informal, Conversational Tone

The platform’s voice is deliberately relaxed. Slip in a joke, sprinkle a bit of slang, and write as if you’re chatting with a friend over coffee. This approach makes the content feel approachable, even when the subject is weighty. Readers enjoy feeling like they’re getting insider knowledge from a peer rather than a professor delivering a lecture.

6 Craft A Killer Title

The title is the first—and sometimes only—chance to grab attention. Aim for a five‑word shock that tells the whole story. Examples like “10 Things the Nazis Got Right” pull readers in with controversy, promise, and intrigue all at once. Your headline should be bold, concise, and promise a surprising payoff.

7 Handle Rejection Gracefully

Even seasoned writers get turned down. A rejection could mean the angle wasn’t fresh enough, the piece overlapped with a recent article, or simply didn’t fit the current editorial mix. Don’t take it personally. Review the feedback, tweak your approach, and submit again. Persistence pays off; every “no” brings you closer to a “yes.”

8 Learn To Deal With Comments

The comment section can be a rollercoaster. Positive feedback can inflate ego; harsh criticism can sting. Some writers ignore comments entirely, while others read them for insight. Either way, remember that strong reactions—good or bad—mean you’ve struck a nerve, which is exactly what you want from a list that aims to provoke thought.

9 Provide A Contact Email

Leaving a way for readers to reach you opens a channel for deeper engagement. Emails from fans can range from personal stories to heartfelt gratitude. One reader once told me that an article about the siege of Sarajevo helped them process their trauma. Those connections remind you why you write and can lead to future opportunities.

10 Keep Writing And Submitting

After 40 articles, the formula is simple: pick a topic you know, find a fresh angle, follow the guide, keep the prose tight, be conversational, craft a magnetic title, expect some rejections, engage with comments, share your contact, and repeat. Each submission sharpens your skill, expands your portfolio, and brings you another $100 reward. So what are you waiting for? Grab your ideas, write a list, and start getting paid today.

If you’ve ever daydreamed about cash flowing in while you lounge on the couch, you’re not alone. In fact, there are at least top 10 ways people manage to earn a paycheck for essentially doing nothing at all. Below we count down the most bizarre, real‑world examples of getting paid to simply exist.

top 10 ways people got paid to do nothing

10 Paid To Stand In Line

Waiting in a queue is universally loathed, yet a niche market has sprung up where you can actually earn money by holding a spot for someone else. The concept may sound absurd, but it makes solid economic sense in places where bureaucracy drags on for hours.

Take Italy, for example. The average Italian spends roughly 400 hours each year stuck in line at government offices, translating to an estimated $44 billion of lost productivity. This stems from a cultural preference for cash payments, which slows down digital processing and inflates waiting times.

Enter the professional “codista,” or queuer, who is hired to stand in line, settle bills, mail parcels, and navigate the maze of public administration on a client’s behalf. The role has become so institutionalized that standard contracts and insurance policies now exist to cover any mishaps that might befall the line‑sitter while they’re, well, standing.

Look north to New York City, where a whole industry of line‑sitting services thrives. Professionals there specialize in reserving tickets for concerts, securing DMV appointments, or even snapping up limited‑release sneakers. Just hope the market doesn’t inflate to the point where you need to hire a line‑sitter to hire another line‑sitter!

9 Paid To Lie In Bed For Months Straight

Everyone has those days when the idea of staying under the covers feels like a personal calling. Imagine being paid to turn that feeling into a full‑time gig. Researchers occasionally compensate participants who remain in bed for extended periods to study the physiological effects of prolonged inactivity.

NASA, for instance, has run numerous studies where volunteers lie flat for weeks, monitoring everything from muscle atrophy to bone density loss. While the prospect of getting paid to lounge sounds dreamy, participants quickly discover that the arrangement comes with strict constraints: limited bathroom breaks, controlled meals, and an inability to shower without assistance.

The studies also demand frequent medical assessments. Participants endure regular pokes, electrodes, and sometimes even painful muscle stimulations. In France, a 2017 trial paid volunteers just over $17,000 to keep at least one shoulder on the mattress for 60 days, with some receiving a cocktail of drugs to counteract insulin resistance and other side effects.

8 Paid To Wait In A Reassignment Center

In certain school districts, teachers accused of misconduct aren’t immediately dismissed. Instead, they’re shuffled into “rubber rooms” — also known as reassignment centers — where they must report for work but are essentially barred from teaching. During this limbo, they continue to draw a salary while doing next to nothing.

These rooms, colloquially called “rubber rooms,” have been documented in places like New York City, where educators can spend years waiting for disciplinary hearings. The same practice has extended to corrections officers, who are assigned to guard empty cells while still receiving pay. Officials claim that administrative tasks keep workers occupied, yet photos reveal long stretches of napping and idle time.

The legal protections that keep these workers on the payroll are notoriously stubborn. In Los Angeles, a school district finally dismantled its rubber rooms after policy reforms, allowing teachers to collect their wages from home while awaiting resolution of their cases.

7 Paid To Not Wrestle

Professional wrestlers often take extended breaks between matches, whether due to injury or the need to preserve their bodies. High‑profile athletes like The Undertaker may go months, even years, without stepping into the ring, yet they remain under contract and continue to receive a paycheck.

A particularly odd case involves Lanny Poffo, who signed a multi‑year deal with World Championship Wrestling in the mid‑1990s. Despite being a seasoned performer and the brother of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Poffo never appeared in a single WCW match from 1995 to roughly 1999.

He kept himself in peak physical condition, waiting for a call that never came. WCW reportedly shelled out about $150,000 per year for his services, even though he never wrestled. The contract became emblematic of the industry’s willingness to pay for potential talent, regardless of actual performance. WCW eventually folded, taking that peculiar payroll with it.

6 Paid Despite Never Showing Up To Work At Government Offices

Imagine collecting a regular salary for a decade without ever stepping foot in an office. In Kuwait, an investigative probe uncovered over 900 public‑sector employees with “irregular attendance,” many of whom had never shown up to work at all.

A 2011 government report revealed that only about half of Kuwait’s civil servants were actually present during normal working hours. The lax employment culture, combined with generous benefits, fostered a “ghost army” of workers who drew paychecks while essentially doing nothing.

To curb the abuse, Kuwait introduced biometric fingerprint scanners to verify daily presence. The crackdown prompted thousands of employees to resign rather than risk exposure. Even Dubai’s ruler made headlines in 2016 after surprise visits exposed widespread absenteeism in government offices.

5 Paid To Have A Truck

A 2004 scandal in Chicago revealed a bizarre scheme where truck owners were paid millions for essentially having their vehicles sit idle. The Sun‑Times uncovered that fleets of dump trucks and other construction rigs were contracted by the city without competitive bidding, receiving payment simply for being available.

Reporters shadowed several of these trucks and observed them parked at municipal sites for days on end, occasionally making a single, trivial delivery before returning to inactivity. The lack of transparent procurement processes allowed officials to award contracts arbitrarily, while bribes exchanged between truck companies and city leaders turned the program into a massive money‑laundering operation.

Ultimately, a federal investigation led to the conviction of 48 individuals, exposing the scheme as a classic example of municipal corruption. The “dump‑truck” scandal left a lasting imprint on Chicago’s political landscape, reminding citizens that not all public‑sector spending is tied to tangible work.

4 Paid To Frustrate French Bureaucrats

In France, a railway employee named Charles Simon found himself on the payroll for more than a decade without ever stepping onto a train. After blowing the whistle on a multi‑million‑euro invoice fraud, Simon was removed from his position and promised reassignment that never materialized.

French labor law protected his original job status, allowing him to continue receiving a salary of €5,400 per month for twelve years while essentially doing nothing. His case captured headlines in 2015 when he sued his employer for career sabotage.

Simon’s experience isn’t isolated. Bosko Herman, a municipal employee, also spent over ten years drawing a salary after a personal dispute with a mayor left him without a new post. Legal loopholes kept him on the books, despite endless applications and no actual work, illustrating how bureaucratic protections can sometimes reward inactivity.

3 Paid To Do Nothing In Isolation . . . As Long As You Can Stand It

During the 1950s, psychologists sought to understand the effects of extreme boredom. They designed an experiment that deliberately isolated participants, stripping away most sensory input and forcing them into relentless monotony. One researcher described the study as “too cruel to do with animals, but not with college students.”

Subjects were confined to small rooms with a bed, wearing vision‑blocking glasses, ear‑plugging sponges, hand gloves, and wrist cuffs made of cardboard. The environment muted sight, sound, and touch, while an air conditioner drowned any external noise. Participants could leave only for bathroom breaks and ate meals while perched on the edge of the bed.

Initially, participants reported ordinary thoughts—personal worries, schoolwork, even counting numbers. Over time, many entered “blank periods” where thoughts faded, leading to vivid hallucinations ranging from simple lights to a procession of squirrels carrying sacks. One participant described a sensation of something “sucking my mind out through my eyes.” The study paid $20 per day (about $190 today), and volunteers could stay as long as they could tolerate the isolation.

2 Paid To Sleep Or Stay Awake

Sleep research labs constantly recruit participants for paid studies that range from ordinary snoozing to extreme deprivation. Harvard Medical School, for instance, maintains a roster of ongoing sleep experiments, many of which simply require volunteers to sleep while researchers monitor brain waves, heart rate, and breathing.

One participant earned roughly $12,000 for 11 nights of “work,” enduring IV lines, head electrodes, and even a rectal thermometer. Some studies also compel subjects to maintain unusual sleep postures or limit sleep to just over four hours per night for weeks, followed by “recovery days” where they can finally sleep up to ten hours. The compensation reflects the discomfort and inconvenience of these protocols.

Prospective volunteers should read study descriptions carefully; while the pay can be generous, the procedures may involve invasive monitoring, strict schedules, and occasional sleep‑deprivation phases designed to probe the limits of human endurance.

1 Paid To Watch TV In An Empty Care Home

In 2014, a New Jersey care home slated for closure left over 200 residents relocated to other facilities. Yet, hundreds of staff members continued to clock in, playing cards and watching television in the now‑empty cottages while still receiving their salaries.

The situation arose because the state’s civil‑service system guarantees pay during layoff periods, allowing workers to stay on the payroll while they search for new positions. In this case, an administrative error extended the layoff period to 147 days, with the state mistakenly assuming a longer transition period than actually needed.

Compounding the issue, bookkeeping mistakes inflated night‑shift wages even after the night shifts ceased. Many employees chose to stay on the payroll rather than accept early reassignment, despite other care homes facing staffing shortages. The mishap reportedly cost the state millions of dollars, highlighting how bureaucratic oversights can unintentionally fund idle labor.

With the coronavirus shutdown pushing us toward The Greatest Depression and leaving many of us wondering how we will manage our finances, the days when people paid huge amounts of money for celebrity memorabilia seem like something from the forgotten past. This list showcases the top 10 ridiculous items that buyers actually shelled out cash for, proving that fame can turn even the most mundane objects into pricey treasure.

Top 10 Ridiculous Celebrity Collectibles

10 John Lennon’s Toilet

John Lennon was a pathological liar, wife beater, and genuine music legend, both for The Beatles era and his solo career, with the celebrity sing‑a‑long to his song Imagine already giving us one of the cringiest moments of the coronavirus era. When Lennon sang “Imagine no possessions” from his luxury mansion it might have been because he had seen into the future and learned that one day someone would pay $11,773 for one of his old toilets. This very expensive toilet had been at the Tittenhurst Park home that Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in from 1969 until 1972 and was one that Lennon had given to his builder to use “as a plant pot” when he got a new one installed.

The auction where this bizarre 2010 sale took place was held at the Paul McCartney Auditorium in Liverpool and the person who paid almost ten times the expected price for a used . . . ahem . . . ’john’ kept his identity a secret. We cannot really blame him for that.

9 Kiss Coffins

The only thing that Kiss lead singer Gene Simmons loves more than rock ’n’ roll is money and that lust for lucre has helped to make his band the Krusty the Clown of rock music – willing to put their name to the tackiest merchandise in the world if it keeps the cash rolling in.

They took things to a whole new low – literally – back in 2001 though, when they launched the Kiss Kasket. This was a make of coffin that was covered in pictures of the group members as well as the band logo and cost $3,300. As if selling band branded coffins was not scraping the barrel enough they also offered urns that Kiss fanatics could have their ashes stored in.

At the launch, Simmons said that although he loved life, the Kiss Kasket “makes the alternative look pretty damn good” and the ads suggested people who had bought one and then failed to die could use it as a drinks cooler while they waited. Among those who have gone to the next world in a Kiss Kasket are Pantera guitarist ‘Dimebag’ Darrell.

8 Elvis Presley’s Hair

The King of Rock ’n’ Roll Elvis Presley had an iconic haircut. The ducktail and quiff that he rocked much defined the 1950s, but even that does not explain why anyone would want to pay money to own some of his old, dead hair. Back in November 2002, a man who used to cut the hair of The King – Homer Gilleland – put a collection of clippings he had kept for decades on sale at an auction in Illinois.

You might think that keeping someone else’s hair for that long is a bit weird and you would be right. It would be creepy if it was the hair of an ex girlfriend or boyfriend and you wanted it so you could stroke it and cry every night, but holding on to it to sell is not really any better. Then again, BUYING another person’s hair is weird too, so the anonymous buyer does not look great here either. The clippings came complete with letters from Gilleland, expert in Presley memorabilia John W Heath and someone called John Reznikoff who is apparently a respected authority when it comes to collecting hair (!) The final sale price of $115,120 made it the most expensive hair ever sold at auction.

7 Russell Crowe’s Jockstrap

Back when he starred in Gladiator in 1999, Australian Russell Crowe was a sex symbol and lots of women might have been willing to bid for his used jockstrap, but by 2018 you would expect there to have been fewer takers. That was when the piece of sweaty protection was put up for sale as part of a ‘divorce auction’ of his belongings that the actor organized. The jockstrap for sale was one Crowe wore during the filming of Cinderella Man in 2004, although we have to hope that it had been washed during the 14‑year gap.

Crowe was expecting to get offers of between $500 and $600 for it – which might seem a bit egotistical, but it actually went for $7,000 so if anything he was selling himself short. The buyer was an English television personality, who later claimed that he bought it for donation to a Blockbuster video store that was struggling for money (ya think?!) so that they could use it as memorabilia to attract customers. Whether they want the sort of customers who would be attracted by it is another matter.

6 Justin Timberlake’s French Toast

Justin Timberlake has lots of fans, both from his days with NSYNC and his solo music and movie career and one of them was passionate enough about the man nicknamed ‘trouser snake’ to pay over $1000 for a couple of slices of French toast that he had come into contact with.

The toast was made for the star during an early morning interview he gave to the radio station Z‑100 back in 2000, but the chef managed to burn it and Timberlake decided not to bother. After the interview, the DJ took the leftover toast and put it straight onto eBay, showing the true US spirit of enterprise.

A bidding war then took place over the stale toast, and given that Timberlake was still deep in his boy‑band period at the time it is not surprising that the person who most badly wanted his uneaten breakfast was a 19‑year‑old fan of NSYNC called Kathy Summers. Speaking to the media after claiming her ‘prize’, Summer said: “I’ll probably freeze dry it, then seal it . . . then put it on my dresser.” NSYNC were also toast not long after this heartwarming story, splitting in 2002 as Timberlake went solo.

5 Jennifer Lawrence’s Sports Bra

Jennifer Lawrence rose to fame by playing Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games movie trilogy, but it seems many of her fans are not so much hungry as thirsty – particularly the ones who bid for one of her used sports bras at an auction in 2013. The sports bra was one of several pieces that went on sale at an auction house in Los Angeles, with all of the clothes being ones she had worn during the filming of the movie Silver Linings Playbook.

The auction took place not long after she had won the first of her Oscars so that might explain the frenzied bidding or it could just be that a lot of dudes around the world had money to burn and were a bit too keen to own one of her bras. The total sum that was raised by the sale of the clothes was $12,000 and the sports bra accounted for a cool $3,175 of it. The owner of the auction house said afterwards that global bidding had been “furious” and the people who lost out on the bra were probably furious too. Surely finding a girlfriend would be a cheaper option for these guys.

4 William Shatner’s Kidney Stone

We know that Star Trek fans are pretty obsessive about everything connected with the show, so when Captain Kirk sold his kidney stone on eBay the most amazing thing about it was not the money it made but the fact that the buyer was no sci‑fi geek. Shatner chose to put the stone onto the site in 2006 to help raise cash for the homelessness charity Habitat for Humanity, after falling ill with it the previous fall while he was filming Boston Legal.

When he put the huge stone up for sale he also included other pieces of surgical equipment like the string and stint that helped him pass it – just for those who did not find the stone itself gross enough. Plenty of people were willing to bid for a – literal – piece of Shatner though, with the whole lot eventually selling for $25,000. Lots of dedicated trekkers must have been mad as hell that night though, as none of them ended up with the precious stone. The buyer who boldly went where no man has gone before was an online casino called Golden Palace, who added it to other collectables that can be viewed on their website, such as a toasted cheese sandwich with the Virgin Mary’s image on it.

3 Scarlett Johansson’s Used Tissue

Just in case you thought it could not get any more disgusting than buying a kidney stone, someone actually paid thousands of dollars for a tissue that Marvel star Scarlett Johansson once sneezed into. This moment of snotty behavior came long before Scarlett was cast as Black Widow in the MCU, as it followed an appearance on the Tonight show when she was promoting terrible 2008 superhero movie The Spirit. During the show she complained about having a cold and Jay Leno gave her a tissue that she blew into a couple of times.

This left it covered in both lipstick and nasal fluid, which would make most people want to get it in the nearest bin. Instead the star signed it and put it up for sale on eBay to try and raise money for a charity called Harvest. It worked too, possibly because there were lots of fans who were hoping to use it to clone her, Sheldon Cooper style. The eventual winner had to cough up $5,300 to get his hands on it (yes we are assuming it was a man). He may be having the last laugh though, as he sits at home with his Hollywood star clone wife.

2 Truman Capote’s Ashes

The writer of Breakfast at Tiffany’s was someone who enjoyed being famous and the center of attention so he might not have minded people bidding huge amounts of money to own his ashes. They went up for sale at auction two years ago and the buyer paid $43,750 for his or her ghoulish prize. Capote actually died all the way back in 1984 and his ashes had been kept by one of his best friends – the wife of Johnny Carson, the Tonight Show legend. She claimed that having them near to her was a comfort, but after she died in 2017, the decision was made to put them up for sale.

The president of Julien’s Auctions Darren Julien said afterwards that “with some celebrities this wouldn’t be tasteful” (no kidding), but added that he was completely certain that it was what Capote would have wanted. The starting price for the ashes was $2,000 and it does seem likely that the flamboyant author would have been delighted to have brought in more than twenty times that much money.

1 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Breath

“Every breath you take”, The Police sang, but the next line was not “I will bottle and sell on eBay.” That is what happened to political activists and part‑time actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie during 2005, in the first . . . um . . . breath of their romance. At the premiere of the movie Mr and Mrs Smith on June 7th that year, Joe Wilson and his partner in crime Pam DuMond, who call themselves the Celebrity Air Collection Squad lay in wait for passing stars. As Jolie and Pitt walked by on the red carpet they scooped up some of the air into a jar and sealed it shut.

At this point you might be thinking: “what if they were both holding their breath at that moment?” or “what if one of them farted before the jar was sealed?” It is possible that a Hollywood star fart in a jar would be worth more than basic breath though, so Wilson and DuMond may have missed a trick by not labeling it as that. As it was, they made sure to call it ‘Celebrity Air’ and point out that it might not be that of Pitt or Jolie at all so that they were within eBay rules about not selling something when its existence cannot be proved.

You get paid royalties when you own the rights to something—whether it’s a tangible asset, a song, even a brand name—and another party wants to use it for profit. If someone is earning cash off of something that belongs to you, you’re likely owed a cut. Yet the world of royalties is riddled with oddball rules, surprising loopholes, and bizarre cases where people end up paying (or receiving) money for reasons most of us would never guess. Below, we dive into ten of the most eye‑opening royalty arrangements that illustrate just how strange the fee‑collecting business can get.

10 Finnish Cabbies Have to Pay Royalties for Songs on Their Radios

Taxi drivers appear in virtually every city on the planet, shuttling passengers from point A to point B and earning a living behind the wheel. While most of us think of cab fares and traffic, Finland introduced a little‑known rule that forces cabbies to cough up a royalty whenever music plays for a paying passenger.

Back in 2002, a Finnish court decided that any cab driver who turns on the radio while a customer is present is effectively providing a public performance of the music. Because the driver is making money while the tunes are audible, the law treats the broadcast as a commercial use.

The ruling didn’t require drivers to log each song or calculate complex fees. Instead, the Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society set a flat, yearly charge of just €14 (about £14) per driver. If a driver prefers silence, they can simply keep the radio off and avoid the fee altogether.

9 Alice Cooper Pays His Band Royalties to Use The Name

Vincent Damon Furnier reinvented himself in the mid‑1970s, legally adopting the moniker Alice Cooper. While the name became synonymous with his theatrical brand of shock rock, the story behind it is more collaborative than most realize.

Cooper has clarified that the popular myth about a Ouija board spelling out the name is false; the name simply popped into his head as a strikingly ambiguous phrase for a band consisting entirely of men. Though he fronted the group, the name legally belonged to the entire ensemble.

Consequently, each year Cooper sends royalty payments to his former bandmates for the right to continue using the Alice Cooper brand. The fees ensure that the name, which was originally a shared asset, remains legally accessible to him as the solo act we all know today.

8 Everyone Who Uses HDMI Pays Royalties for the Technology

When you plug a console, Blu‑ray player, or laptop into a modern TV, you’re almost certainly using an HDMI cable. That convenience, however, comes with a hidden cost: the HDMI standard is a patented, trademarked technology owned by the HDMI Licensing Administrator.

Any manufacturer that wants to label a product with the HDMI logo must sign a licensing agreement. The baseline arrangement calls for a $10,000 upfront fee plus a per‑unit charge of $0.15 for each device sold. If the maker also displays the official HDMI logo, the per‑unit fee drops to just five cents.

Smaller producers who won’t reach the 10,000‑unit threshold can opt for a scaled‑down plan, but the principle remains: every HDMI‑enabled product you purchase carries a royalty payment that ultimately funds the development and maintenance of the standard.

7 Climbers Have to Pay Royalties to Nepal to Climb Everest

Scaling the world’s highest peak is a dream for many adventure seekers, but the price tag attached to an Everest ascent is more than just equipment and guides. The Nepalese government treats the mountain as a national asset and levies a royalty on every foreign climber.

During the popular spring season, a non‑citizen must cough up $11,000 as a climbing fee. In addition, a $4,000 garbage‑management surcharge is required, which can be refunded if the expedition brings back a sufficient amount of waste.

In 2023, officials proposed raising the climbing royalty to $15,000 in an effort to curb overcrowding and reduce the number of fatalities. The hike is slated to take effect in 2025, making the financial barrier to reaching the summit even steeper.

6 DC Pays Much Bigger Royalties to Comics Creators Than Marvel

Comic‑book adaptations have become a cinematic goldmine, but the creators behind those iconic characters don’t always see a proportional share of the profits. While Marvel typically dishes out a modest $5,000 plus a premiere ticket to writers and artists for the use of their creations, DC takes a dramatically different approach.

Jim Starlin, the mind behind Thanos, Gamora, and Drax, has disclosed that Marvel’s standard payout is relatively modest. In contrast, when DC used his lesser‑known character KG Beast in “Batman v Superman,” the studio compensated him with an amount that Starlin claims exceeds the total royalties paid to Marvel for all its blockbuster films combined.

This disparity highlights how DC values even minor characters, offering creators substantially larger royalties than its rival, which can dramatically affect a writer’s or artist’s long‑term earnings.

5 Marvel Got Paid Royalties Every Time Hulk Hogan Wrestled

When Terry Bollea adopted the moniker “Hulk Hogan,” he inadvertently stepped on the toe of Marvel Comics, which owns the trademark for the word “Hulk.” The wrestling star’s nickname originated from a joking comparison to Lou Ferrigno’s TV portrayal of the Incredible Hulk, and the WWF (now WWE) began billing him as the “Incredible Hulk Hogan.”

Marvel’s legal team soon intervened, insisting that the wrestler drop the word “Incredible” and that a royalty be paid for each match. For two decades, Hogan shelled out $100 per bout, and Marvel also received a small cut of all Hulk‑related merchandise sold under the wrestler’s brand.

Those payments, while modest per event, accumulated into a sizable sum over twenty years, illustrating how even a seemingly harmless nickname can trigger a steady stream of royalty income for a comic‑book giant.

4 Warner Paid Royalties to John Hinckley for a Devo Song

Sampling a poet’s words is standard practice in music, but Devo’s 1982 single “I Desire” took an unusual turn when it incorporated a poem written by John Hinckley Jr., the man infamous for attempting to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.

Devo approached Hinckley for permission, and he agreed, becoming a credited co‑writer on the track. However, Warner Bros., the label handling the release, failed to secure a royalty agreement with him before the song hit the market.

Years later, in 2021, Hinckley took to Twitter to reveal that he had never received any compensation for his contribution, highlighting a rare case where a high‑profile label overlooked royalty payments to a very unexpected collaborator.

3 The Seattle Space Needle Is Trademarked And You Need to Pay to Use It

Seattle’s iconic Space Needle dominates the city skyline, but the structure’s silhouette isn’t free for commercial use. The tower’s owners have secured a trademark on the Needle’s image and name, meaning any business that wants to feature it in advertising, merchandise, or branding must obtain a license.

In 2022, a popular coffee chain faced a lawsuit for using the Needle’s outline on its cups without permission. The dispute settled out of court, underscoring the seriousness of the trademark enforcement.

Getty Images also warns that any commercial image of the Seattle skyline that prominently displays the Needle requires clearance. Even the phrase “Space Needle” is protected, and companies must submit a request to the official website to receive licensing approval before using it.

2 Alaskan Residents Get a Yearly Oil Royalty Check

Living in Alaska comes with a unique perk: a direct share of the state’s oil wealth. Through the Alaska Permanent Fund, residents receive an annual dividend that reflects the state’s oil revenue.

In 2023, the average payout was $1,312 per person, a noticeable dip from the previous year’s over $3,000 distribution. The fluctuating amount results from the fund’s performance, political budgeting decisions, and the volatile price of oil.

Although the exact figure varies annually, the dividend remains a distinctive example of a public‑sector royalty system that directly benefits citizens rather than corporations.

1 The US Had to Pay Royalties to Germany for the Springfield Rifle

During the early 20th century, the United States adopted a rifle design based on Germany’s famed Mauser 98. The agreement, struck in 1905, required the U.S. government to compensate the German patent holders for each rifle produced.

The royalty schedule called for a payment of $0.75 per rifle plus $0.50 for every thousand clips, capped at a total of $200,000. Despite attempts to redesign the Springfield M1903 to avoid these fees, the U.S. still incurred penalties and additional charges even after World War I began, at a time when the nation was officially neutral.

This historical footnote demonstrates that even governments can be subject to royalty obligations when they borrow technology from abroad, underscoring the far‑reaching influence of intellectual‑property law.

Why 10 Staggering Royalty Stories Matter

The ten cases above illustrate how royalty fees permeate everyday life in ways most people never consider. From a taxi driver’s low‑cost annual payment in Finland to a nation‑wide dividend in Alaska, the reach of royalty agreements is both broad and surprising. Understanding these hidden costs offers a fresh perspective on the economics of creative and technological ownership, reminding us that behind many familiar products and experiences lies a complex web of payments and legal arrangements.

After the pandemic turned the world upside‑down, prices surged on everything from gasoline to groceries. Even when supply‑chain drama faded, many companies kept their prices sky‑high while posting record profits. The result? A litany of outrage‑worthy markups that make us wonder why we keep paying so much for things that should be far cheaper. Below are the 10 rage inducing product markups you’ve probably paid for, each illustrated with a stark example.

10 Rage Inducing Mattress Markups Range From 40% To 900%

Retail grocery stores run on razor‑thin margins. Think about the whole journey of a lettuce leaf: growing, harvesting, hauling to the store, and finally sitting on a shelf. All those steps leave barely any room for profit, with grocery margins hovering around a modest 5%.

Contrast that with mattresses, which can carry a markup anywhere between a modest 40% and a jaw‑dropping 900% in extreme cases. The logic is simple: you replace a lettuce every week, but a mattress might last a decade or more. To stay afloat, mattress makers charge a premium, and a single outlet often needs to move only about 20 units a month to break even. Even if sales dip, being part of a larger chain cushions the blow.

9 Funeral Homes Can Markup Caskets As Much As 500%

The average American funeral with burial now tops nearly $8,000. One of the biggest hidden costs is the casket, where funeral homes can tack on markups ranging from 200% to 400% as standard, and in some premium cases, as much as five times the wholesale price. Elaborate models can easily climb past $25,000.

From 1986 to 2016, casket prices surged at more than twice the rate of all other commodities, far outpacing inflation and any genuine cost drivers. The monopoly‑like control funeral homes once held over casket supply still fuels these staggering price hikes.

8 Text Message Markup Is Staggeringly High

Most Americans (about 88% in 2015) enjoy unlimited texting, but carriers still charge $0.20 per text for those without a plan. Since it costs carriers roughly three‑tenths of a cent to deliver a single message, that translates to a massive 6,000% markup.

Even if only 12% of phones lack unlimited texting, that still represents roughly 38.4 million devices out of 320 million U.S. connections. With an average of 32 texts per day per device, carriers could be raking in about $245 million daily for a service that costs them virtually nothing to provide.

7 Printer Ink Has Huge Markups And Sells At Lower Volumes

Home printers are infamous for their temperamental nature, and the real cash cow is the ink. Manufacturers sell the printer hardware at a bargain, then charge premium prices for cartridges—a classic razor‑blade model.

Even when cartridges are physically identical, companies often shrink the ink volume while keeping the price steady, resulting in markups that can soar up to 300%.

6 HDMI Cables Have Massive Markups

On Amazon you’ll find HDMI cables for under $5, yet premium versions can fetch $40‑$80, and a 2018 novelty model even hit the $10,500 mark, touting a “24‑conductor DNA helix design, composilex 2 insulation, and solid silver conductors.”

In reality, a $10 cable can be sold for $100 in upscale stores, representing a 1,000% markup. Most consumers don’t need anything beyond a basic cable for 4K streaming, so the inflated price is pure profit padding.

5 Wedding Dresses Are Dramatically Marked Up Compared To Identical Non‑Wedding Dresses

Wedding retailers have been found to charge almost four times the price of an otherwise identical white dress that isn’t marketed as a bridal gown. The same pattern shows up with bridesmaid dresses, which can be nearly double the cost of a comparable non‑bridesmaid dress.

Some analysis suggests a wedding dress can be produced for as little as $200, yet many retail for $5,000. Stores often hide the manufacturer’s identity, keeping brides in the dark and allowing the industry to thrive on inflated prices.

4 Restaurants Mark Up Little Things By Huge Percentages

Dining out always costs more than cooking at home, but the disparity grows when you examine add‑ons. A side of sour cream might add 50 cents, while a scoop of guacamole can climb to nearly $3.

Specific items illustrate the extremes: a meat pizza can carry a markup of up to 636%, guacamole at Chipotle can be marked up close to 500%, and a hamburger may see a 355% increase. Even a two‑liter bottle of Coke, cheap at $2 wholesale, can be sold for $0.36 in a small cup, representing a near‑500% markup. In casual‑dining spots, some items surpass a 1,000% increase.

3 Glasses Markups Can Get As High As 1000%

Eyewear has become a textbook example of price inflation. Former LensCrafters executives admit that many frames and lenses are marked up as much as 1,000%.

The root cause lies in market concentration: Luxottica controls most of the manufacturing, retail outlets, and even vision‑insurance providers. This vertical integration lets the company set prices high with little competition, inflating the cost of a pair of glasses far beyond the actual production expense.

2 Bottled Water Markups Can Get Astronomical

The bottled‑water market was worth over $283 billion in 2021. Many brands market their product as spring‑sourced, yet a large share is simply municipal tap water. For instance, Dasani is sourced from the same municipal supply used by Coca‑Cola.

San Francisco’s tap water costs about $0.00018 per ounce. A 20‑ounce Dasani bottle sells for roughly $2.12 at Walmart—about $0.106 per ounce—making it 589 times pricier than the local tap water. Certain “designer” waters have been reported with markups soaring to 280,000%.

1 Movie Theater Popcorn Markups Are Over 1,000%

Movie theaters keep ticket revenue low—about 70% goes to studios—so they bank heavily on concessions. A small bag of popcorn that costs roughly $0.10 per ounce to produce can be sold for $5.50, a markup exceeding 1,300%.

In 2010 the average popcorn markup was reported at 1,275%; today it hovers around 1,300%, meaning you’re paying more per ounce for popcorn than you would for a premium steak.

Who are top highest paid Korean actors in 2023? Korea is an enormous industry when it come to television shows and films or dramas. Extraordinarily skilled Korean entertainers, and furthermore Korean on-screen characters, have bolstered media outlets in the country. Honestly, this industry has conveyed a segment of the best entertainers in the Korea. Here is the list ‘highest paid’ once-over of top paid on-screen characters in 2023.

Top 10 highest paid Korean actors 2022-2023.

10. Ji Chang Wook

He is a South Korean actor who is particularly noticeable through all the country. He got fame after playing the lead role in in daily drama series “Smile Again”. Furthermore, he is one the most attractive performing specialists in the country. Wook has worked in several drama serial including Empress Ki, Warrior Dong-soo, and Healer. For each scene, he charges $42,000.

Ji Chang Wook, who is 34 years old, born in Anyang, South Korea. One of the top highest paid Korean actors, and he is 182 cm tall. At the end of 2021, Ji Chang Wook’s estimated net worth is $12.5 Million (Approx.)

9. Lee Jong Suk

Lee Jong Suk is the youngest model of the Seoul Fashion Week. He has played the lead roles in Doctor Stranger, School 2013, Pinocchio and I Can Hear Your Voice. Lee charges $50,300 for each scene. Born on September 14, 1989 (age 32) at Suwon, South Korea. Lee is 182cm tall and one of the top 10 highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, Lee Jong Suk’s estimated net worth is $32 Million (Approx.)

8. Yoo Ah In

He is a South Korean performing actor who rose to fame through Sungkyunkwan Scandal – a well known Television series of action in Korea. Furthermore, Yoo Ah In is a champion, he is among the most attractive entertainers in Korea. He is best known for his roles in Secret Love, Punch, The Throne, Six Flying Dragons, and Veteran. Yoo Ah In charges $58,700 per scene.

He was born on October 6, 1986 (age 34) at Daegu, South Korea. He is 178 cm tall. At the end of 2021, Yoo Ah In’s estimated net worth is $10 Million (Approx.)

7. So Ji Sub

He is an acclaimed Korean performing actor, who is best known for his roles in various Television series like; Cain And Abel, Oh My Venus, Master’s Sun, and I’m Sorry. So Ji Sub charges $67,100 per scene. So Ji Sub was born on November 4, 1977 (age 44) at Seoul, South Korea. He is 185 cm tall.

The fourth riches and one of the highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, So Ji Sub’s estimated net worth is $16 Million (Approx.)

6. Jo In Sung

He is a South Korean actor who has played leading roles in various Television series, like; That Winter, What Happened in Bali, It’s Okay, and the Wind Blows. He charges $67,100 per scene. Jo in Sung was born at Cheonho-dong, South Korea on July 28, 1981 (age 40). He is 184 cm tall.

At No. 6 among the top 10 highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, Jo In Sung estimated net worth is $12 Million (Approx.)

5. Lee Min Ho

He is likewise a model and vocalist. Lee Min Ho gained widespread fame in Korea with his role in Boys over Flowers, which had won him a couple of awards. Also, Lee Min Ho won the Best New Actor Award in Televisions. He also noted for his leading roles in City Hunter, The Heirs, and Personal Faith.

Lee starred in his first leading role in film with Gangnam Blues (2015), followed by his first China-produced film Bounty Hunters (2016). He charges $78,700 for each scene. Born on June 22, 1987 (age 34) in Heukseok, South Korea, he is 187 cm tall. At the end of 2021, Lee Min Ho’s estimated net worth is $10 Million (Approx.)

4. Hyun Bin

He is an eminent South Korean actor who has known for his roles in various Korean Television Dramas. Hyun Bin has played leading roles in various TV shows including Secret Garden, Sam-Soon, and My Name is Kim that gave him much reputation. He charges $83,900 per scene. Bin was born at Jamsil-dong, South Korea on September 25, 1982 (age 39). He is 180 cm tall.

Consider one of the best actor of all time in Korea. Hyun Bin earned 130 million won per episode for ‘Crash Landing on You’. The second richest and one of the highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, Hyun Bin estimated net worth is $21 Million (Approx.)

3. Lee Seung GI

Lee Seung GI is a singer, actor, host and entertainer. He’s among the most searched on-screen character in Korea. He is notable for numerous hit songs such as “Because You’re My Woman”, “Will You Marry Me”, and “Return”. And, Lee Seung GI charges $58,700 per scene. Lee Seung GI was born on January 13, 1987 (age 34) at Banghak-Dong, South Korea. He is 180 cm tall.

Lee Seung-gi’s endorsement charges is as much as 700 million won ($582,472. It’s no surprise that multi-talented actor, singer and host is the third highest paid actor in Korea. Lee is at No. 3 among the top highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, Lee Seung GI estimated net worth is $16 Million (Approx.)

2. Song Joong KI

He is a South Korean on-screen character who has rose to fame through historical drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal. He has worked in many other shows and feature films. Song Joong KI charge as much as 200 million WON ($166,426) per episode. He was born on September 19, 1985.

Tune Joong KI is 175 cm tall. One of the richest Korean, holding second place among the highest paid Korean actors. At the end of 2021, Song Joong KI’s estimated net worth is $21 Million (Approx.)

1. Kim Soo Hyun

Finally, at top place amongst the highest paid Korean actors is Kim Soo Hyun. Best known for his roles in the dramas like; Dream High, Moon Embracing the Sun, My Love from the Star and The Producers. He also appeared in feature movies like; The Thieves and Secretly, Greatly. Kim Soo Hyun followed by more than 13 millions on Instagram.

Kim was included in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list at 4th in 2013, 2nd in 2015 and 5th in 2016. He charge as much as 200 million WON ($166,426) per episode, subsequently make him the highest paid on-screen character in Korea. The success of his television dramas throughout Asia established him as a top Hallyu star. He is 177cm tall. At the end of 2021, Kim Soo Hyun estimated net worth is $110 Million (Approx.)

Actors are some of the most well-compensated members of society, or at least those who make it to Hollywood are. And all actors who work on Screen Actors Guild movies (which is pretty much everyone in Hollywood) get paid, whether they appear in the finished product or not. Thanks to pay-or-play contracts, many top-tier actors get a check even if they don’t actually work at all.

But the reasons actors end up not starring in movies they’ve been paid for are many. Some are cut out of films, some get fired before the director has ever called action, and some, perplexingly, never have anything to do with the production in the first place.

10 Shailene Woodley, The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Before Tom Holland donned the red spandex, Andrew Garfield was the world’s principal web-swinger in a film series that began with The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012 and ended with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 a mere two years later. Garfield’s fifteen minutes of Spidey fame have been looked upon more fondly in recent years, but some of the series’ stars didn’t even get fifteen seconds!

Shailene Woodley, best known for the Divergent series, signed on to play Mary-Jane Watson in the second Amazing Spider-Man, but her feet hardly touched the ground before she was whisked out the door again. Director Marc Webb (the puns write themselves) shot three scenes with the actress, intending MJ to be a minor presence and secondary romantic interest for Garfield’s Peter Parker. But ultimately, he decided to leave her parts on the cutting room floor when streamlining an already 142-minute movie. Even though her time on set was brief, and the public never got to see the actress on screen, Woodley still got paid for paying her dues.^[1]

9 Johnny Depp, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

The third installment in the Fantastic Beasts series, The Secrets of Dumbledore, exploded onto screens in 2022, but most of the series’ magic had already evaporated. The writing was lax, the film felt superfluous, and several public controversies plagued the film, including Potterverse author and Fantastic Beasts screenwriter JK Rowling’s ongoing friction with some of the trans community. But few controversies were as large as the domestic abuse allegations made by Amber Heard against Johnny Depp (who starred as antagonist Gellert Grindelwald in the first two Fantastic Beasts films) and the subsequent libel case that he lost against UK tabloid newspaper The Sun.

Seeking to cut their losses and save face following the outcome of the court case, in which the judge found that 12 of the 14 domestic abuse allegations had occurred, Fantastic Beasts studio Warner Bros. cut ties with Depp and hired Mads Mikkelsen to replace him. Lucky for Depp, he had only filmed one scene for The Secrets of Dumbledore; unlucky for Warner, he had a pay-or-play contract entitling him to his full salary for the film—an eye-watering $16 million.^[2]

8 Bob Hoskins, The Untouchables

The production for Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables, a film about the team who took down Al Capone, brought together four of the 20th century’s biggest acting talents in Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, and Andy Garcia. The film has gone down in history as one of the best crime films set in the Prohibition era.

While the entire cast is pitch-perfect, De Niro’s Al Capone is a particular highlight, with the veteran gangster actor carrying off both the physicality and voice of Capone with ease. Though De Niro was the first choice for the part, the actor was in high demand, and De Palma hedged his bets by getting English actor Bob Hoskins to agree to take the role if De Niro couldn’t make it. When De Niro took the part, Hoskins thought nothing of it until a check for $200,000 arrived in the mail with a note saying, “Thanks for your time. Love, Brian.”^[3]

7 Paul Rudd, Bridesmaids

It’s not often a big-name actor gets cut from a film for little to no reason, but that’s precisely what happened during the editing process for Paul Feig’s 2011 all-star smash hit comedy Bridesmaids. Bringing together comedians from SNL, various comedy shows, and the films of Judd Apatow (who served as producer on Bridesmaids), the film is a who’s-who of the U.S. comedy scene at the turn of the decade.

But some of its best comedic talent didn’t even make it onto the screen. Paul Rudd was originally set to cameo in the film as protagonist Annie’s (Kristen Wiig) blind date, who loses touch with reality when a child skates over his fingers. Rudd shot with the crew for a day and, by all accounts, threw himself into a sequence that saw him pratfall across an ice rink and swear liberally at children. But in terms of screen time, it amounted to nothing, as Feig cut him from the film to keep the narrative tight and give more screen time to child actor Blake Garrett who was, by all accounts, comedy gold. Thanks to the Screen Actors Guild, though, Rudd still got paid.^[4]

6 Kevin Spacey, All the Money in the World

Fantastic Beasts was not the first film to drop an actor thanks to controversies going on away from the set, but few films have gone as far as All the Money in the World did when it comes to eradicating a star from the celluloid. Filming had completed, and the film was in the end stages of post-production when sexual misconduct allegations were made against star Kevin Spacey by fellow actor Anthony Rapp.

Recognizing that this could sound the death knell for his film, director Ridley Scott sprang into action, used his industry clout to secure an extra $10 million in financing, and hired Christopher Plummer to replace Spacey as billionaire oil tycoon J. Paul Getty. They filmed an additional 400 shots over nine days in two countries, and Scott used digital and practical effects teams extensively to help blend the new actor into the existing picture. As Spacey had completed his work on the film and fulfilled his contract, both actors ended up getting paid despite only one appearing in the final film.^[5]

5 Tim Roth, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood broke many of director Quentin Tarantino’s long-established tropes and filmic traditions, serving up a tale about the Manson family murders that contained surprisingly little violence and more tension and meditative contemplation than merchandisable quick quips. One of the telltale signs of a Tarantino flick, however, was the presence of a familiar cast of actors, bringing together Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, and others from the director’s previous features.

Conspicuously absent, however, was Tim Roth—who has been with Tarantino since Reservoir Dogs—despite being paid to be in the film. Roth filmed sequences as Hollywood hair stylist Jay Sebring’s (Emile Hirsch) British butler, serving little more than a cameo role, which is ultimately why Tarantino decided to drop his part altogether. Given the film is already nearly three hours long, perhaps it’s a good thing he did.^[6]

4 Tobey Maguire, Life of Pi

It’s not often you end up being booted from a film for being too well-known, but that’s what happened to Tobey Maguire in Life of Pi. Ang Lee’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s Booker Prize-winning novel sees a young Indian boy, Pi (Suraj Sharma), stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean aboard a lifeboat with only a tiger named Richard Parker for company. In the film, the story is told by a grown-up Pi (Irrfan Khan) to a fictionalized version of the author, known only as The Writer.

Tobey Maguire was originally on board to play the fictionalized Martel, but after filming had begun, Lee didn’t feel Maguire was a good fit for the part and replaced him with the far less recognizable Rafe Spall. It should come as no great surprise that Lee changed his mind to “be consistent with other casting choices made for the film” because the majority of the cast, save perhaps for Gérard Depardieu’s Cook, were not as well known to Western audiences.^[7]

3 Harrison Ford, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

There isn’t an adult or child across the established world who doesn’t associate the name Steven Spielberg with his family-friendly alien flick E.T., but back when it was being made, the director was better known for more adult-oriented films like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It makes sense then that he wanted to carry over some of what he knew from those films into this, and while subject parallels with the likes of Close Encounters are easy to draw, E.T. doesn’t bear a whole lot of resemblance to Indiana Jones.

Nonetheless, Spielberg’s filmmaking comfort food in this feature was Harrison Ford himself. The director cast Ford against type as an uptight school principal who reprimands young protagonist Elliott (Henry Thomas) in his office. Shot over Ford’s shoulder and in dim lighting, this cameo was always meant to be an Easter egg for fans, but it didn’t make it into the film at all.

A notoriously unsentimental editor, Spielberg didn’t think the scene added anything to the film and left it on the cutting room floor. While details of the sum Ford actually got paid are scarce, it wouldn’t have been spare change, given he was just concluding a run starring in Raiders, The Empire Strikes Back, and Blade Runner.^[8]

2 Michael Biehn, Alien 3

David Fincher’s Alien 3 received a lambasting from fans and critics upon release for a multitude of reasons. The film didn’t serve the series trajectory well, the studio interfered in the process throughout and refused Fincher’s final cut, and above all else, James Cameron’s and Ridley Scott’s (director of the first two Alien films) footsteps were awfully big for a first-time director to follow in.

Among the film’s issues was the killing of legacy characters Newt (Carrie Henn) and Hicks (Michael Biehn) at the beginning of the film when an alien egg hatches on board their ship, and their escape pod crashes into a nearby planet. Neither Biehn nor Henn had signed on for another film, so Fincher couldn’t use the actors, but the production team initially worked with a facial cast of Biehn taken in Aliens to create a prosthetic doppelganger. Biehn got wind of this and put his agent onto the studio, saying they couldn’t use his image. Ultimately, he agreed to let them use his likeness, but only for a hefty fee.^[9]

1 Eric Stoltz, Back to the Future

Back to the Future remains one of the foremost time travel sci-fi films of the 20th century, and its conception of time travel has come to be the go-to exemplar for the single, alterable timeline, in which changes to the past affect changes in the future. As a result, Back to the Future deals with the idea that if we went back in time and changed things, we might end up accidentally erasing ourselves. Unfortunately for Eric Stoltz, his approach to Robert Zemeckis’s script resulted in him being erased from the production.

Originally cast as teen hero Marty McFly, Stoltz brought an air of melancholy and darkness to the role, treating the part as a tragedy rather than the family-friendly comic stylings Zemeckis had in mind. Not getting laughs from the dailies and concerned that this casting decision could sink the whole film, Zemeckis opted to fire Stoltz six weeks into filming, costing the studio two actors’ salaries and adding millions of dollars to the budget. But Michael J Fox took over as McFly, and the rest is history, or the future, or something like that…^[10]