I love good stories, and good stories are driven by characters. The actors who bring those to life, whether on stage, cinema, or television, are artists creating emotions and experiences in an entertaining fashion.
I got a chance to see a bunch of celebrities this summer. They were paid to sign autographs and take photos with fans at Comic Con. In particular, I watched Wallace Shawn for a while. The man is so genuinely thrilled by his fans, and has such a contagious, grinning joie de vivre. I personally don't collect pictures and autographs, I've always thought it robs the moment, but I realized later that I could've paid $50 just to talk to him for half a minute, and thank him for all the wonderful stories he helped bring to life. I was so against the idea of paying for an autograph that it stopped me from thinking of any alternative. I really wish I would have thought of it at the time. Inconceivable!
If I see a play locally and an actor moves me, I thank them afterward if possible. At an international level, paying for their time is to be expected, I suppose. For me, it's not the actors, but the characters that made me feel in different ways.