Bryan Cranston, Actor and Screenwriter, $40 million

You would hardly remember seeing the “Breaking Bad” actor Bryan Cranston in ‘80s films when he started acting because he was stuck playing minor roles and doing advertisements. He’s popular today, but there were no signs he would achieve such a level of fame.

His career began to bloom in the ‘90s with his role in “Seinfeld” and eventually, he got a lead role in “Malcolm in the Middle.” The “Breaking Bad” series was what propelled him into some fortune, winning him several awards both as an actor and director.