With a Reported $61 Million Offer, Sydney Sweeney Can Earn More Than Sylvester Stallone but Not in Hollywood

From Sylvester Stallone to Will Smith, explore Hollywood stars who made waves in Bollywood, and why Sydney Sydney’s move is next-level.

Sydney Sweeney’s career is about to cross borders in a big way, as reports reveal that the Euphoria star has been offered £45 million (approximately $61 million) to make her Bollywood debut (via The Sun).

The buzzworthy offer, from a major Indian production house, reportedly includes £35 million ($48 million) for her acting role and an additional £10 million ($13 million) through sponsorship deals.

 

Her Bollywood offer puts her alongside Hollywood stars like Sylvester Stallone and Will Smith, who’ve made notable appearances in Indian films.

The Rambo star, for example, was reportedly paid $430,000 for his cameo role in Kambakkht Ishq.

Sweeney, who will soon be seen in The Housemaid, is being eyed to play an American star falling in love with an Indian celebrity in a film that will shoot across iconic cities such as London, Paris, and Dubai in 2026.

A source close to the actress admitted the sheer size of the offer left the actress “shocked” but also intrigued, recognizing the global pull and influence of Bollywood.

 

 

Sydney was shocked by the offer at first, £45million is an incredible sum.

While Sweeney has multiple projects lined up, including the much-anticipated sports biopic Christy premiering on November 7, this potential crossover marks a significant opportunity in her blossoming career.

Interestingly, Sweeney’s Bollywood invitation places her in the illustrious company of Hollywood heavyweights.

Let’s have a look at this list.

11 Sylvester Stallone – Kambakkht Ishq

 

Sylvester Stallone in Kambakkht Ishq | Credit: Eros International

The man who gave us Rocky, Rambo, and Creed once popped up in a Bollywood rom-com?! In 2009, Sylvester Stallone appeared as himself in Kambakkht Ishq, saving Kareena Kapoor Khan from goons in true Hollywood hero style, all while sharing screen space with Akshay Kumar.

It was brief but unforgettable, a crossover nobody saw coming, and no one can forget.

10 Denise Richards – Kambakkht Ishq

 

Denise Richards in Kambakkht Ishq | Credit: Eros International

This Bollywood movie really went all out on Hollywood cameos.

Denise Richards, known for Wild Things and The World Is Not Enough, played Akshay Kumar’s love interest and even sacrificed her happiness for his.

The film, also starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, gave all the high drama vibe and Desi style appeal.

It also included Brandon Routh playing himself!

9 Toby Stephens – Mangal Pandey: The Rising

 

Toby Stephens in Mangal Pandey: The Rising | Credit: Yash Raj Films

In the 2005 historical drama, Toby Stephens played Captain William Gordon, a sympathetic British officer and friend of Mangal Pandey, portrayed by Aamir Khan.

The film spotlighted the 1857 rebellion and marked one of Bollywood’s most ambitious period pieces of its time.

This historical epic unravels the true tale of Mangal Pandey, the valiant sepoy who fanned the flames of India’s First War of Independence.

8 Will Smith – Student of the Year 2

 

Will Smith in Student of the Year 2 | Credit: Fox Star Studios

Who would’ve thought the Men in Black star had Bollywood dance moves on his bucket list? Well, apparently he did! In 2019, Karan Johar did cast Will Smith in a special dance sequence in Student of the Year 2, featuring Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, and Ananya Panday.

The film is a sequel to Student of the Year, which marked the acting debut of three prominent actors: Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan.

7 Ben Kingsley – Teen Patti

 

Ben Kingsley in Teen Patti | Credit: Serendipity Films

Sir Ben Kingsley, who played Gandhi, no less, stepped into a Bollywood thriller with Teen Patti (2010), starring Amitabh Bachchan, R Madhavan, and Shraddha Kapoor.

He played a British mathematician who ropes Bachchan’s genius professor into a gambling world set in a London casino.

It is safe to call it calculated chaos!

6 Clive Standen – Namastey London

 

Clive Standen in Namastey London | Credit: Eros International

Before Vikings, Clive Standen was Katrina Kaif’s uptight British fiancé in Namastey London (2007).

His character, Charlie Brown, gets left at the altar when Kaif’s character realizes she’s in love with Akshay Kumar’s character.

The story revolves around Jasmeet ‘Jazz’ Malhotra, a British-born Indian girl raised in London who adopts Western culture and rejects traditional Indian values.

Her father, concerned about her growing distance from her roots, tricks her into going on a trip to India, where he arranges her marriage to a traditional Punjabi man, Arjun Singh.

5 Mish Boyko – Queen

 

Mish Boyko in Queen | Credit: Phantom Films

Mish Boyko’s character Oleksander added charm and heart to Kangana Ranaut’s journey in Queen (2014).

The Russian roommate with a warm heart helps Rani discover freedom and confidence on her solo honeymoon to Amsterdam.

Mish, also seen in Dracula Untold, carved a soft spot in every viewer’s heart.

Queen tells the story of Rani Mehra (played beautifully by Kangana Ranaut), a shy, conservative girl, who gets dumped by her fiancé just days before their wedding.

4 Paul Blackthorne – Lagaan

 

Paul Blackthorne in Lagaan | Credit: SET Pictures

Who can forget Lagaan’s iconic villain Captain Russell, the British officer who imposed “teen guna lagaan”? That smug colonialist was played to perfection by Paul Blackthorne, who’s also known for roles in Arrow, Justice League: Doom, and The Dresden Files.

His character’s cricket defeat is still one of Bollywood’s most epic payback scenes.

Set in 1893 during the British Raj, Aamir Khan starrer Lagaan pitches a ragtag group of Indian villagers against the might of the British Empire, not in war, but on a cricket field.

3 Martin Henderson – Bride and Prejudice

 

Martin Henderson in Bride and Prejudice | Credit: Miramax Films

Long before becoming Dr.

Nathan Riggs in Grey’s Anatomy, Martin Henderson played the charming Will Darcy opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice (2004).

Think Pride & Prejudice, but with bhangra beats and bridal lehengas.

2 Christopher B. Duncan – My Name Is Khan

 

Christopher B. Duncan in My Name Is Khan | Credit: Fox Star Studios

Christopher B. Duncan, known for his roles in The Jamie Foxx Show and The First Family, made a powerful cameo as Barack Obama in My Name Is Khan.

His line, Your name is Khan and you are not a terrorist, became one of the film’s most emotionally charged moments, leaving audiences in tears.

 

The story follows Rizwan Khan (played by Shah Rukh Khan), a Muslim man with Asperger’s Syndrome, who moves from India to San Francisco to live with his brother after the death of his mother.

Despite his social challenges, he is brilliant at repairing electronics and eventually falls in love with Mandira, a Hindu single mother.

 

1 Sarah Thompson – Raajneeti

 

Raajneeti | Credit: Prakash Jha Productions

In Prakash Jha’s intense political drama Raajneeti (2010), Sarah played Sarah Jean Collins, the American girlfriend of Ranbir Kapoor’s character Samar.

The film, loaded with Indian acting heavyweights, gave Sarah’s calm presence a unique spotlight.

As Bollywood continues to evolve into a global cinematic powerhouse, Sydney Sweeney’s potential crossover feels less like a surprise and more like a power move.

But the real question remains: Will she say yes? Or will Hollywood keep her tethered a little longer?