All Hollywood actors have to be members of the Screen Actor's Guild to perform in major productions. That means that they have to be compensated in a manner which can be audited by the guild to ensure that they are being paid fairly. This means checks, wire transfers, etc. Cash payments would not allow that to occur.Depending upon what level the performer is on there are several methods where they could be compensated:They can create an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a corporation and have themselves paid through that. This allows them to be a private entity and can lessen their tax burden in many states. They would receive a 1099 at the end of each quarter and their business staff would be responsible for paying their taxes and withholding. These are often referred to as u201cloan outs.u201d They could, if they were bit performers, be paid normally and then receive a W-2 at the end of the year. The production company would do all of their withholding and issue them the necessary tax documentation. This method is not favored by many actors as it leaves them dependent on the production company to take care of their tax matters.Some smaller productions overseas might be willing to pay extras in cash on a daily basis. However, many producers would be loath to do this as it could cause security issues and it is a temptation for fraud and abuse.Some of the major stars receive what are term to gross points, which are percentage of the gross movie profits. These can be exceptional, especially if the film is a hit, so only a few performers will receive them. Many are promised u201cnet profit pointsu201d which are nearly worthless as even the most profitable films rarely show a profit due to Hollywood accounting techniques.