Because they keep asking for more.

Well if an actor does good in a film, and gets more popularity then they'll be worth more and be given more money. But the real question is, why aren't OUR salaries going up? :D

Well it deopends on what actors you're taling about. If your talking about all actors, or just film actors in general then it vaires alot. Also it depends on the popularity of the film/play etc your asking about. Lets look at a basic extra's pay. (An extra, is a small acting part on a film/tv program, they usually do walk on parts of say a very small piece of diolgue) Their minumum wage is about $7.00 an hour or it can sometimes be $50.00 a day. Depending on what film or tv program they are doing, it can vary grately. Some extras can get over £200.00 a day. Im not sure what the rate is in the us but here it is usually about £200.00 or less. Looking at a broad way musical, their wages can start from about $1,354 a week and it goes up from there. It can be based on how well the musical sells or how good an actors agent is. As for film actors, if oyur talking about big names like George Cloony or Viggo Mortensen, then the reason they can get so much is usually becasue they are well known, have a good agent and are in high demand, there for they can be offered larger amounts of money by big name film companies in the hopes on enticeing them to work on their films. Well, this is just my opinion of it. I don't know the exact reason, but as an actor gets more and more in demand their salary getsh igher becasue people offer them more and more to get them to work on their films. In the recent past, there have been reports of stars getting between $30,000 and $35,000 a week. But then, you want a star, you pay more. But this is just what I feel, im not saying its right, its just how I see it.