Real Name: Lindsay Lohan
Salary Deal: $7,500
We all know about this world-famous redhead now, but when she was just a child – before even The Parent Trap – Ms. Lohan spent plenty of time acting in commercials. One such commercial was for Duncan Hines, which got Lindsay for a salary of only $7,500.
Lindsay’s mother Dina took her to the audition and reported Lindsay would quit acting if she didn’t get the part for the commercial. Luckily for fans of the remake of The Parent Trap, she stuck with it. Duncan Hines peddles plenty of sweet treats, but the best thing they might have done was get Lohan’s career started.
The Other Dude From the Sonic Commercials
Real Name: Pete Grosz
Salary Deal: $300,000
Peter Grosz is known as one of America's most talented T.V writers. Most people will recognize him as one of the "Two Guys" from the drive-in Sonic commercials. He appeared in the double act with co-star comedian and improviser, T.J. Jagodowski.
For more than a decade, Grosz starred in the Sonic commercials, earning him over $300,000 (net that is). Sonic's Chief Marketing manager said, that Grosz has turned into "the voice" of Sonic, as that he (and his second half) will probably be part of their DNA for good.
The GEICO Gecko
Real Name: Jake Wood
Salary Deal: $3 million
Born in England, Jake Wood provides the voice of the famous insurance reptile for GEICO. Wood is also the star of the legendary British soap opera EastEnders. He voiced the gecko for ten years before being replaced in 2015. His total salary deal was three million dollars.
He revealed on social media that he had lost the gig due to not accepting a “huge pay cut.” He first appeared on the commercials in 2006, when he replaced Kelsey Grammer as the British gecko who seems to think the only thing people want to talk about is car insurance. Beat it, reptile.
The 1990s “Noxzema Girl”
Real Name: Rebecca Gayheart
Salary Deal: Unknown For the first time on this list, we have two faces from the same brand. Rebecca Gayheart started her modeling and acting career with Noxzema in the 1980s, through the 1990s. Her career really took off thanks to a short student film by director Brett Ratner, a name you may recognize as the director of films such as Rush Hour, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and more, as well as a producer for many more.
Gayheart isn't in the Noxzema ads anymore, but she was in the recent Tarantino blockbuster Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as well as the TV series Dead Like Me. She is also married to Euphoria actor, Eric Dane.
The GEICO Caveman
Real Name: John Lehr
Salary Deal: Unknown
It's unknown how much this famous ad campaign actor brought down for all those prosthetics and makeup, but he's one of the most recognizable characters, even in an industry (insurance) that is full of long-running characters. There were other cavemen, but Lehr was the main actor.
He's been in other ads (sans caveman getup) as well as appearing as an actor in the comedy series “JailBait” and as the lead role in the series “Quick Draw.” He's also one of the few – maybe even the only – ad characters to get his own television show, though it was short-lived.