Legal reason Jonah Hill was only paid £48,000 for role in Wolf of Wall Street

It’s no secret that the big stars in Hollywood get paid the big bucks for their roles.

But when Jonah Hill took on a role in The Wolf of Wall Street, he only got paid pennies in comparison.

Despite the actor earning an Oscar nomination for his performance, he only got paid a mere $60,000 (£48,000) to appear in the iconic, ironically money-centric, film.

And there’s potential it could have been far higher – as you might expect.

Although, by Hill’s standards, it could have also been even lower and was only cut at that mark for a legal reason.

The now 40-year-old featured as stockbroker Donnie Azoff in the film and admitted he’d happily just take minimum wage to be able to work with the legendary filmmaker, Martin Scorsese.

Speaking on The Howard Stern Show back in 2014, he said: "I got to f**king be in a Martin Scorsese movie and I just got nominated for an Oscar.

"I'm tripping out, Howard ... I'm in shock. I'm totally in shock."

So, absolutely buzzing at the idea of getting to work with the Shutter Island and Taxi Driver director, he would do anything for it to happen.

Minimum wage but an Oscar nom, could be worse. (Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

And I mean, the minimum wage for actors is still a whole lot heftier than what most of us make, but still.

"They gave me the lowest amount of money possible, that was their offer,” Hill said.

"I said, 'I will sign the paper tonight. Fax me the papers tonight.' I want to sign them tonight before they change their mind. I said I want to sign them before I go to sleep tonight so they legally can't change their mind."

Radio host Stern then cut in to clarify if that meant the actor ‘got paid $60,000 for that movie'.

He just wanted to be able to work with Scorsese. (Paramount Pictures)

The actor continued: "It was the minimum. I think SAG minimum is something like $60,000 before commissions and taxes.

"Yeah, for an almost seven-month shoot. I would sell my house and give him all my money to work for [Scorsese] ... I would have done anything in the world. I would do it again in a second."

He added: "It's not about money for me. None of this s**t is about money.

“I want to make money to pay my rent, and hopefully have a family one day and have kids and stuff."

Well, fair enough, worth it for the bucket list – and the Oscar nomination, of course.