Quiz: Can You Guess Which Academy Award Nominee Is Richer?

One of the biggest nights for Hollywood stars is just around the corner — the 90th Academy Awards. This year’s Oscar nominees include quite a mix, from newcomers to those with major stardom status. Some of them already have plenty of cash, as well.

While you might be able to guess who’s taking home an Oscar, what about when Oscar nominees go head-to-head for net worth?

Click to find out if you can guess which celebrity is the richest.

Daniel Day-Lewis vs. Denzel Washington

The two mega stars are among the Oscar nominees for Best Actor. This could be the last major acting award nomination for Daniel Day-Lewis, who is being recognized for his work in “The Phantom Thread,” as he recently announced his retirement from acting. Lewis has been nominated for an Oscar six times, with three wins (“Lincoln,” “There Will be Blood” and “My Left Foot.”)

Washington is also no stranger to Oscar nominations. The “Training Day” and “Remember the Titans” star has nabbed eight Oscar nominations for acting — and won twice. He is being recognized for his role in “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

Winner: Denzel Washington

Daniel Day-Lewis net worth: $50 million
Denzel Washington net worth: $220 million

The 63-year-old actor’s good looks and crowd-pleaser movies leave Washington with very little competition in terms of pay. Washington’s films have grossed more than $3.7 billion at the global box office.

Forbes has listed the actor as one of the most overpaid actors, however. His films return on average $4.25 for every dollar Washington earns.

Meryl Streep vs. Frances McDormand

Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand have been on the silver screen for years and are in the running for Best Actress. But let’s be honest. No one compares to Streep, who is the most-nominated actress of all time. “The Post” is her 21st Oscar nomination. Streep last won for the “Iron Lady” in 2012.

To compare, this is the fifth nomination for McDormand, who won Best Actress in “Fargo.” She is nominated for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Both movies are up for Best Picture.

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Winner: Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep net worth: $90 million
Frances McDormand net worth: $16 million

As you might have guessed, Meryl Streep is the clear winner of the two. Her record for Oscar nominations has contributed to her $90 million net worth. Streep has starred in big box-office hits such as “Mamma Mia!” — that film earned $609.8 million worldwide.

Willem DaFoe vs. Woody Harrelson

Willem DaFoe and Woody Harrelson are among the nominees for Best Supporting Actor. DaFoe is nominated for “The Florida Project” and Harrelson for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” The two have had legendary acting careers.

This is DaFoe’s third Oscar nomination. His most recent nomination came in 2001 for “Shadow of the Vampire.” This is also Harrelson’s third Oscar nomination.

Winner: Woody Harrelson

Willem DaFoe net worth: $30 million
Woody Harrelson net worth: $65 million

Even though DaFoe and Harrelson are both versatile actors, only one of them got their start on the sitcom “Cheers,” which propelled Harrelson to fame.

It’s a no-brainer why Harrelson has a significantly larger bank account — more than double DaFoe’s, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In addition to playing the lovable bartender Woody on “Cheers,” Harrelson is well known for his roles in “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Natural Born Killers.”

Mary J. Blige vs. Octavia Spencer

There are a few entertainers who’ve made the transition from singing to acting, and Mary J. Blige is one of them. The singer is a two-time Oscar nominee in 2018 for her performance as a supporting actress in “Mudbound” and for the original song, “Mighty River,” from that movie. This is not the first appearance for Blige on the big screen.

Blige and Octavia Spencer are among the five women nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This is the third Oscar nomination for Spencer, who is being recognized for her role in “The Shape of Water.” Spencer is a previous Oscar winner for “The Help.”

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Winner: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige net worth: $20 million
Octavia Spencer net worth: $12 million

Blige has made the bulk of her fortune through her impressive music career, which includes more than a dozen albums and an impressive Grammy collection. She is considered the queen of Hip-Hop-Soul and one of the greatest vocalists of her generation.

Christopher Nolan vs. Guillermo del Toro

Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro are nominated for Best Director. Nolan is best known for remaking the Batman franchise and notable thrillers such as “Memento” and “Inception.”

Meanwhile, del Toro is nominated for “The Shape of Water.” The director is no stranger to highly acclaimed films, however. His notable works include “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the “Hellboy” series.

Winner: Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan net worth: $180 million
Guillermo del Toro net worth: $40 million

With “Batman” to your credits, there really isn’t much competition. Nolan is the clear winner with $180 million as his net worth. “The Dark Knight Rises” was one of the biggest films of 2012, grossing nearly $1.1 billion at the global box office.

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James Mangold vs. Aaron Sorkin

James Mangold and Aaron Sorkin are among the five nominees in the Adapted Screenplay category. Mangold worked on “Logan,” along with Scott Frank and Michael Green. This is the first Oscar nomination for Mangold, whose work includes “Walk the Line” and “Heavy.”

Sorkin, who is nominated for “Molly’s Game,” is also no stranger to the film world. His notable screenplays include “Moneyball” and “A Few Good Men.” He previously won an Oscar for “The Social Network.”

Winner: Aaron Sorkin

James Mangold net worth: $20 million
Aaron Sorkin net worth: $80 million

In addition to his work on major movies, Sorkin has the television series “The West Wing” to his credits. The show’s popularity undoubtedly boosted Sorkin’s net worth. At its peak, the show had 17 million viewers.

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John Williams vs. Hans Zimmer

Music composers John Williams and Hans Zimmer are among the most noted for their craft in Hollywood and are nominated for original score at the 2018 Oscars.

Williams has composed the music for the “Star Wars” saga, including “The Last Jedi,” for which he’s nominated for this year. He also composed the music for “Jaws.”

Zimmer, who is being recognized for “Dunkirk,” previously won an Academy Award for “The Lion King.” He’s also known for “Thelma & Louise,” “A League of Their Own,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Gladiator” and other movies with wide popularity.

Winner: John Williams

John Williams net worth: $100 million
Hans Zimmer net worth: $90 million

It’s a closer matchup than many others, but nonetheless, Williams is the clear winner. Williams has five Academy Awards and a whopping 51 nominations. The 1977 score for “Star Wars” also was named the most memorable of all time by the American Film Institute.

Sufjan Stevens vs. Diane Warren

A nominee in the Best Song category, Sufjan Stevens, is a newcomer to the Oscar spotlight. The indie-rock star earned a nominee for “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name.” However, there’s a good chance you heard his music before. His song “Death With Dignity” was featured in the pilot episode of “This is Us,” and another song, “Chicago,” has appeared in “Little Miss Sunshine” and the “Veronica Mars” movie.

Can his talents win against the legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who’s nominated for “Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall”? Warren has written hits such as “How Do I Live,” for LeAnn Rimes to “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” for Aerosmith.

Winner: Diane Warren

Sufjan Stevens net worth: $4 million
Diane Warren net worth: $60 million

Diane Warren is the clear winner. Her net worth can wrap around that of Stevens more than a dozen times.

Warren has had 32 top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100, including nine No. 1s, according to Billboard.com. She’s also written songs for superstars such as Whitney Houston and Elton John and is a past Oscar nominee.

Allison Janney vs. Laurie Metcalf

Allison Janney, best known for her role on “The West Wing,” received her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the film, “I, Tonya.” She’s already won a Golden Globe this year for her performance.

Nominated in the same category is Laurie Metcalf for her performance in “Lady Bird.” This is also the first Oscar nomination for Metcalf, whose previous work includes the sitcom “Roseanne,” “Scream 2” and “Uncle Buck.”

Winner: Laurie Metcalf

Allison Janney net worth: $4 million
Laurie Metcalf net worth: $8 million

Metcalf earned three Emmy Awards for her work in “Roseanne,” which aired from 1988 to 1997. She also will appear on the reboot of the show, which is scheduled to debut in March on ABC. The show’s success played a big part in Metcalf’s net worth, making her the winner — in pay, anyway.

Richard Jenkins vs. Christopher Plummer

Also up for Best Supporting Actor are Richard Jenkins and Christopher Plummer. Jenkins is recognized for his role in “The Shape of Water” and Plummer for “All the Money in the World.”

Notable roles for Jenkins include movies such as “Step Brothers” and “The Cabin in the Woods,” as well as the TV series “Six Feet Under.” He’s been nominated for two Oscars. This marks the third Oscar nomination for Plummer, whose one Academy Award came at age 82 for the film “Beginners” in 2012.

Winner: Christopher Plummer

Richard Jenkins net worth: $8 million
Christopher Plummer net worth: $20 million

Plummer just gets better with age in Hollywood, and those years equate to more earnings. The 88-year-old has decades of acting under his belt, with recognizable roles in movies such as “The Sound of Music” and “A Beautiful Mind.”

Paul Thomas Anderson vs. Jordan Peele

Paul Thomas Anderson and Jordan Peele are also contenders for Best Director. Anderson, known for “Magnolia” and his breakout film “Boogie Nights,” is nominated for “Phantom Thread.” This is the eighth Oscar nomination for Anderson, who has yet to win.

Peele rose to fame for his comedy series “Key & Peele” on Comedy Central and is nominated for “Get Out.”

Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson net worth: $70 million
Jordan Peele net worth: $12 million

Anderson’s net worth is considerably larger — and that’s fair considering the popularity of his movies. “There Will Be Blood” is his top-grossing movie to date, earning more than $76 million worldwide.

Timothée Chalamet vs. Daniel Kaluuya

They’re both young and relative newcomers to the Hollywood scene, but Timothée Chalamet and Daniel Kaluuya already are making a name for themselves. They are among the five actors nominated for Best Actor at the 2018 Oscars. Chalamet is nominated for “Call Me by Your Name” and Kaluuya is nominated for his performance in “Get Out.”

Winner: Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet net worth: $1.6 million
Daniel Kaluuya net worth: $1 million

Chalamet has a slight edge on Kaluuya when comparing current net worth. The 22-year-old star also has drawn praise for his supporting role in the dramedy “Lady Bird.”

Sally Hawkins vs. Margot Robbie

The two female actresses are vying for one of the biggest prizes at the Oscars: Best Actress. Sally Hawkins is nominated for her performance as a mute woman who falls in love with an amphibious being in “The Shape of Water,” which has received the most nominations for the 2018 awards.

The Australian actress, Margot Robbie, is widely known for her role as Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad.” She’s been nominated for her first Oscar as Tonya Harding, in “I, Tonya.”

Winner: Margot Robbie

Sally Hawkins net worth: $1.5 million
Margot Robbie net worth: $12 million

Audiences have been captivated by the blonde bombshell since she’s debuted on the silver screen. She appeared in “The Wolf of Wall Street” before getting her “Suicide Squad” role, which plumped up her bank account nicely. The film earned more than $746 million worldwide.

Greta Gerwig vs. Martin McDonagh

Nominees for Best Original Screenplay include Greta Gerwig, who directed “Lady Bird,” and Martin McDonagh, pegged for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Gerwig also is the fifth woman in Oscar history to be nominated for Best Director.

McDonagh previously won an Oscar for the 2004 film “Six Shooter.” He won in this category for the 2018 Golden Globes.

Winner: Martin McDonagh

Martin McDonagh net worth: $12 million
Greta Gerwig net worth: $4 million

Unlike Gerwig, who is a newcomer to the silver screen, McDonagh has been working for some time. A combination of widely acclaimed films and nominations have contributed to his net worth.

Sam Rockwell vs. Woody Harrelson

Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson are the only two actors who are nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the same movie, in this case “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” For that reason, let’s compare.

Rockwell has appeared in “Lawn Dogs” and “The Green Mile” but doesn’t have the movie credits of Harrelson — or a hit show such as “Cheers” to his name, for that matter.

Winner: Woody Harrelson

Sam Rockwell net worth: $15 million
Woody Harrelson net worth: $65 million

You’ve likely guessed if Harrelson wins over Willem DaFoe for net worth, then he’s certainly the clear winner here. To say the least, his pay lives up to his name.

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About the Author

Lia Sestric

Lia Sestric is a Pittsburgh native and graduate from E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. Her bachelor’s degree is in Broadcast News. She has written and produced television news stories in the Los Angeles area and Charleston, S.C. In 2012, Lia began to freelance write on the side about higher education and careers for Yahoo! Finance. Lia is now based in the Washington, D.C. area and continues to work on national and local writing contracts. Her work frequently appears on major sites like Yahoo, The Huffington Post, MSN, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, USA Today, in addition to GOBankingRates. 

You can follow her on Twitter @liasestric and Facebook @LSHWrites. Lia can be reached by email lia.sestric@gmail.com.

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