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We all know that the likes of Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz earn the most money in Hollywood, but they aren’t always the names that bring in the big money for studios.
Forbes have put together a list of 10 women in Hollywood who make the studios a big return for every dollar that they are paid. When coming up with this list they counted actresses who have been in at least three movies in the past five years, they didn’t include animated movies because who goes to see a cartoon based on who is voicing it?

10. Hilary Swank
In addition to earning two Oscars, Swank has proven herself to be a good investment with movies like P.S. I Love You. The romance (which cost an estimated $30 million) earned $157 million at the worldwide box office. Swank is expected to earn yet another Oscar nomination for her upcoming film Amelia, in which she plays the iconic aviator Amelia Earhart. For every $1 Swank was paid, her films earned an average of $23.

9. Anne Hathaway
The 26-year-old actress is one of the youngest on our list. Hathaway earned a Best Actress nomination for her work in Rachel Getting Married last year but because the movie only ever opened on 390 screens, we didn’t include it in our survey. Instead she makes the list for movies like Get Smart, which earned $230 million at the worldwide box office. For every $1 Hathaway was paid, her movies earned an average of $23.

8. Cate Blanchett
Like many of the women on our list, Blanchett likes to mix big budget fare with smaller art house movies. She appeared in all three Lord of the Rings movies but earned an Oscar nomination for her performance as one of the Bob Dylan characters in I’m Not There. She lands on our list mostly due to her work in last year’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. For every $1 Blanchett was paid, her movies earned an average of $23.

7. Hallie Barry
Berry has been mostly out of the spotlight lately, but her work as Storm in three X-Men movies helps land her on our list of actresses with the best return on investment. Her most recent movie, Things We Lost in the Fire, was a flop, earning only $8.5 million at the box office, but that didn’t stop her from making our Top 10 list. For every $1 Berry was paid, her movies earned an average of $23.

6. Jennifer Aniston
The most successful of the former Friends stars, Aniston is a regular on the red carpet and in the tabloids, where her romances are endlessly speculated about. Recently she’s had some pretty successful movies too. He’s Just Not That Into You and Marley & Me helped improve her ROI, which had been slipping due to duds like Rumor Has It. For every $1 Aniston was paid, her movies earned an average of $26.

5. Meryl Streep
Streep earns a bigger paycheck than most women on our list, but thanks to the massive box office of last summer’s Mamma Mia ($610 million), she also offers a good return on investment. Her latest film, Julie & Julia, came out too late to make our list but the movie’s $96 million in earnings (so far) should help her remain one of Hollywood’s most desirable actresses. For every $1 Streep was paid, her movies earned an average of $27.

4. Natalie Portman
Thanks to her work in the new Star Wars movies, Portman has appeared in some of the highest-earning films of all time. But she ranks on our list because of movies like The Other Boleyn Girl, which earned $78 million at the worldwide box office. Like many of the actresses on our list, Portman appears in her fair share of art films, like 2007′s little-seen Paris J’Taime. For every $1 Portman was paid, her films earned an average of $28.

3. Rachel McAdams
Thanks to films like The Notebook and this year’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, McAdams is quickly becoming the go-to actress for romantic movies. Despite her rising profile, McAdams still commands a relatively modest paycheck. This winter she’ll star opposite Robert Downey Jr. in an update of Sherlock Holmes. For every $1 McAdams was paid, her movies earned an average of $30.

2. Jennifer Connelly
February’s He’s Just Not That Into You helped several actresses, including Connelly, with their ROI numbers because each star took a pay cut to appear in the ensemble comedy, which earned $177 million at the worldwide box office. Connelly’s work in The Day The Earth Stood Still and Blood Diamond helped her take second place. For every $1 Connelly was paid, her films earned an average of $41.

1. Naomi Watts
The 41-year-old Australian actress first made her mark with 2002′s The Ring. The low-budget horror film earned $250 million at the worldwide box office and put Watts in demand. For the most part the actress has kept a low profile, appearing mostly in artsy fare like last year’s Funny Games. But thanks to 2005′s King Kong, her average return on investment is the best in Hollywood. For every $1 Watts was paid, her films earned an average of $44.
source: Best Actresses For The Buck [Forbes]
Popularity: unranked [?]

I think Forbes are trying to send me into a severe depression or something, just last week they released their annual Hollywood’s Top-Earning Actresses but now they are releasing their Top-Earning Musicians of the year and yet again it makes me want to cry myself to sleep from jealousy:

1. Madonna
$110 million
Thanks to her “Sticky & Sweet Tour,” the top-grossing international and domestic tour of 2008 according to Pollstar, Madonna out earned the rest of her peers. She also released her 11th studio album, Hard Candy, which debuted at No.1 in over 30 countries. In the U.S., the album sold 100,000 copies on the first day of release. The Material Girl also endorses Louis Vuitton.

2. Celine Dion
$100 million
Returning to the touring stage after three years on the Las Vegas circuit was a boon to Dion’s bottom line. The Canadian singer was promoting the 2007 release of Taking Chances, her first studio album in English since 2003. The tour sold out in the U.S. and Canada, becoming the second top-grossing tour of 2008 with gross earnings of $237 million. Dion also released an English greatest-hits collection, My Love: Essential Collection, and a sixth perfume to her fragrance collection.

3. Beyonce
$87 million
In the last year, Queen B dropped a double album, starred in two films, performed at both the Oscars and a presidential Inaugural Ball and embarked on what is expected to be, at minimum, a 110-date international tour. She also expanded a fashion collection that includes casual and formal lines, as well as jewelry and eyeglasses, and added sponsors Nintendo, Crystal Geyser and General Mills to a roster of endorsers already including L’Oréal, Giorgio Armani and Samantha Thavasa handbags

4. Bruce Springsteen
$70 million
Along with the E Street Band, Springsteen’s tour grossed $166 million in 2008 to rank fourth among the top-grossing international tours of the year. The New Jersey crooner enjoyed a year in the spotlight, as his support of President Barack Obama, his Golden Globe win for his song on The Wrestler soundtrack and his NFL Super Bowl halftime performance kept him in the news.

5. Kenny Chesney
$65 million
Chesney, the continued top-grossing country act on tour, was the genre’s only star to make the top-10 international concert roster in 2008, grossing $72 million and selling over 1 million tickets. He also released Lucky Old Sun last October. Chesney was featured along with Jon Bon Jovi and Eric Clapton in Mastercard’s Roots of Rock sweepstakes and has endorsement deals with Cruzan Rum and Corona

6. Rascal Flatts
$60 million
The boys from Ohio have found a cozy niche for themselves with crossover pop/country hits and a young fan base. The group grossed $56 million on the road last year, but buoyed their earnings with lucrative endorsement deals with JCPenney and Hershey’s. Their latest album, Unstoppable, released in April, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

7. Coldplay
$60 million
The British band Coldplay grossed $72 million from international touring in 2008. Their June 2008 release Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends became the most-downloaded album of all time, selling 354,000 digital copies in the first two weeks of its release. The group won three Grammys in February, including Best Rock Album.

8. AC/DC
$60 million
The Aussie rock band fronted by aging schoolboy Angus Young tied for No. 5 on this year’s list of top earners thanks to their seemingly relentless popularity. Their fall 2008 effort, Black Ice, was the band’s first album in eight years. Sales of Ice combined with international catalog sales made AC/DC the No. 1 catalog artist of 2008. As well, their domestic tour grossed $38 million in 2008

9. Eagles
$55 million
It was a bittersweet year for fans of the Eagles. The group released their first studio album since 1979, though according to Don Henley it will likely be their last collective effort. Long Road Out of Eden was sold exclusively through the band’s Web site, Sam’s Club and Wal-mart for the first year of its release, though it still managed to sell 700,000 copies in the first week. Their accompanying tour began last March at London’s O2 Arena, eventually grossing $87 million in 2008.

10. Toby Keith
$52 million
A consistent name among musical top earners, Toby Keith has continued to expand his brand. He grossed $31 million on tour in 2008, and That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy, which has since sold over 500,000 copies. He also sees income from an endorsement deal with Ford, an eponymous chain of restaurants and as a prolific songwriter.

11. Bon Jovi
$50 million
The international tour to support Bon Jovi’s 2007 album Lost Highway grossed $176 million in 2008, ranking at No. 3 in Pollstar’s list of top worldwide tours and second only to Madonna based on the number of tickets sold. A documentary of the tour, When We Were Beautiful, was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in April. A book of the same title is slated to hit bookstores this fall.

12. Dave Matthews Band
$45 million
One of the most prolific touring acts of the last decade–earning $47 million on the road last year–Dave Matthews Band is now drumming up buzz for Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, its first album in four years. The band’s saxophonist, LeRoi Moore, died last August from complications related to an ATV accident. The die-hard DMB fan base continues to bolster their bottom line, thanks to annual dues of the popular fan club, Warehouse, and merchandise sales.
Popularity: unranked [?]
It’s that time of again, when we all (or most of us) read articles like this and then think of our bank accounts and cry ourselves to sleep, because Forbes have just released Hollywood’s Top-Earning Actresses.

Brad Pitt must do something good to women because Angelina Jolie tops the list while his ex wife Jennifer Aniston is right behind her.
Most of Angelina’s money came from the $341 million that her movie Wanted made, plus she got a chunk of money from her next movie, Salt.
As for Jennifer’s money, her film Marley & Me made abotu $244 million, she gets money from being the spokesperson for SmartWater, she got money for her next film The Baster and of course she still rakes in cash from Friends residuals.
The top 15 list looks like this:
1: Angelina Jolie – $27 million
2: Jennifer Aniston – $25 million
3: Meryl Streep – $24 million
4: Sarah Jessica Parker – $23 million
5: Cameron Diaz – $20 million
6: Sandra Bullock – $15 million
6: Reese Witherspoon – $15 million
8: Nicole Kidman – $12 million
8: Drew Barrymore – $12 million
10: Renee Zellweger – $10 million
11: Cate Blanchett – $8 million
12: Anne Hathaway, $7 million
12: Halle Berry, $7 million
14: Scarlett Johansson, $5.5 million
15: Kate Winslet, $2 million
According to Forbes, The Top 10 women earned a combined $183 million compared to $393 million for the Top 10 men. And they said sexism was dead?
Popularity: unranked [?]
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Angelina Jolie has topped Oprah Winfrey to become the World’s Most Powerful Celebrity, according Forbes magazine. The methodology is, shall we say, unclear. But here’s what they say about Jolie:
Eclectic actress and gossip-column favorite dethrones media maven Oprah Winfrey atop this year’s Celebrity 100. Jolie has always been able to attract tabloid attention and Oscar nods, but this year, she’s finally figured out a way to make serious money. Her most recent blockbuster, Wanted, proved this mother of six’s sweet spot is action films; the movie earned $340 million at the box office. Up next: Salt, in which Jolie plays a CIA officer accused of being a spy.
Oddly, Oprah earned a whole order of magnitude more money — $275 millionto Jolie’s paltry $27 — but, since they don’t tell us what factors were used or how they were weighed, who’s to criticize. And, certainly, Jolie’s hotter. (Were I employed by Playboy magazine, I would compile a list. As it is, I shall pass.)
But here’s an odd one for you:
About halfway down the list sits a very familiar face: President Barack Obama. At No. 49, Obama’s the first sitting head of state to appear on this Forbes fixture because of his worldwide fame, his historic election and his career as a best-selling author.
On what planet is Angelina Jolie more powerful than Barack Obama?
Popularity: unranked [?]
One of the most anticipated movies of the upcoming fall season is “Australia,” Baz Luhrmann’s epic mash note to his home country, which stars Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman as Outback lovers.
Kidman, more than anyone, is likely hoping it’s a hit. Despite winning an Oscar for her performance in 2002′s “The Hours,” Kidman has become the most overpaid celebrity in Hollywood.
Forbes looked at each star’s last three films that opened wide before Jan. 1 (in order to give each film time for a DVD release). They didn’t count animated movies, supporting roles or anyone consistently earning under $5 million per movie.
Nicole Kidman
Kidman has an Oscar and earns $15 million paydays, but she’s proved to offer a poor return on investment. Despite bringing in $370 million in worldwide box office, The Golden Compass only grossed $3.36 for every dollar Kidman was paid. The Invasion lost $2.68 for every dollar that went to Kidman. She has a chance for a high-profile comeback with this fall’s epic Australia, which could earn the Aussie her third best actress nomination.
For every dollar she was paid, Nicole Kidman’s movies averaged $1 of gross income.
Jennifer Garner
Garner has stayed fairly under the radar since her 2005 big-budget disaster Elektra, which cost $40 million to make and earned only $56 million worldwide. Unfortunately for Garner her follow-up films didn’t do much better. Both Catch and Release and The Kingdom underperformed at the box office.
For every dollar she was paid, Jennifer Garner’s movies averaged $3.60 of gross income.
Tom Cruise
His recent cameo as a foul-mouthed studio exec in Tropic Thunder is earning raves and might usher in the era of Tom Cruise comedies. In the meantime, Cruise has to deal with the fallout from his recent dramatic blunder, Lions for Lambs. The film’s box office ($63 million worldwide) was bad enough that even without taking any upfront pay Cruise still earned the movie only $1.88 for every dollar he was paid.
For every dollar he was paid, Tom Cruise’s movies averaged $4 of gross income.
Cameron Diaz
The highest paid actress in Hollywood, Diaz pulled in $50 million last year. But her high salary makes it hard for the romantic comedies she stars in to earn a good return. The Holiday brought in $205 million worldwide but Diaz’s high payday meant the film only grossed $3.70 for every dollar Diaz was paid.
For every dollar she was paid, Cameron Diaz’s movies averaged $4 of gross income.
Jennifer Lopez
The singer/actress/designer has struggled at the box office for the past few years, choosing small projects like 2006′s El Cantante, a low-budget musical biopic starring her husband Marc Anthony, which barely registered at the box office. Her last big film was 2005′s Monster-in-Law, which grossed $155 million worldwide returning $6.85 for every dollar Lopez was paid.
For every dollar she was paid, Jennifer Lopez’s movies averaged $4.10 of gross income.
Jim Carrey
Long gone are the days when Carrey could attract crowds with his talking backside. The actor’s latest attempt at a serious film, last year’s The Number 23, flopped at the box office, earning only $77 million worldwide. Carrey has a chance to turn things around with this winter’s Yes Man. Carrey has so much faith in the comedy that he reportedly took no money upfront for his starring performance.
For every dollar he was paid, Jim Carrey’s movies averaged $4.11 of gross income.
Nicolas Cage
2007 was a year of highs and lows for Nicolas Cage. Book of Secrets, the sequel to Cage’s 2004 hit National Treasure, grossed $456 million worldwide. The sci-fi thriller Next, released that spring, brought in only $73 million. The movie lost 50 cents for every dollar Cage was paid.
For every dollar he was paid, Nicolas Cage’s movies averaged $4.16 of gross income.
Drew Barrymore
Barrymore has been unlucky at the box office recently despite the title of her last film: Lucky You. The movie grossed a mere $8 million in worldwide box office, which means it lost 17 cents for every dollar Barrymore was paid. Maybe that’s why she’s taking a bigger role behind the camera. She’s currently directing her first film, Whip It!, about a female roller derby league.
For every dollar she was paid, Drew Barrymore’s movies averaged $4.38 of gross income.
Will Ferrell
The former Saturday Night Live star did well with high-grossing comedies like Blades of Glory. The sports tale grossed $4.95 for every dollar Ferrell was paid. But he stumbled with his more serious turn in 2006′s Stranger Than Fiction, which grossed $53 million in worldwide box office, only $1.63 for every dollar Ferrell was paid.
For every dollar he was paid, Will Ferrell’s movies averaged $4.67 of gross income.
Cate Blanchett
The actress is better known for her acting skills than her box office draw. She has been nominated for five Oscars. But she stumbled in our list with her 2003 movie The Missing, which earned only $38 million in worldwide box office but cost approximately $65 million to produce. For every dollar Blanchett was paid, the film lost $2.94. She did better with Babel, in which she played Brad Pitt’s injured wife. The film grossed $135 million worldwide, $13.20 for every dollar Blanchett earned.
For every dollar she was paid, Cate Blanchett’s movies averaged $4.97 of gross income.
All of them make entirely too much money — it is extremely amusing that both of Ben Affleck’s women made the list.
source: Hollywood’s Most Overpaid Movie Stars [forbes]
Popularity: unranked [?]
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Will Smith was the highest earning actor of 2007 according to Forbes.
Smith brought in $80 million last year. Cameron Diaz was the top earning actress with $50 million. I love reporting on celebrity paychecks, it’s absolutely ridiculous how much they earn.
The top 5 earning celebrity men in Hollywood are:
1. Will Smith – $80 million
2. Johnny Depp – $72 million
3. Eddie Murphy – $55 million
4. Mike Myers – $55 million
5. Leonardo DiCaprio – $45 million
The top 5 earning celebrity women in Hollywood are:
1. Cameron Diaz – $50 million
2. Keira Knightley – $32 million
3. Jennifer Aniston – $27 million
4. Reese Witherspoon – $25 million
5. Gwenyth Paltrow – $25 million
How is it possible that Eddie Murphy earned that much, when we have the likes of “Meet Dave” as our most recent example of his work. The same goes for “The Love Guru” and Mike Myers.
See the entire list at Forbes.
Popularity: unranked [?]
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