Ever since the Oscars started there has been debate over people winning for certain roles, most people agree that a lot of actors win just because they are overdue an Oscar for previous roles instead of the role they actually win for. Here is a list of 10 actors who are way overdue an Oscar.
10. Glenn Close:
Nominated For: The World According to Garp (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Natural (1984), Fatal Attraction (1987), and Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Why She’s Overdue: One of the best actresses of the 1980s, she’s had a resurgence of fame and awards recognition through her excellent work on FX’s Damages. Does anyone think that if she got a juicy role like Patty Hewes on the big screen that she wouldn’t excel? She may have gone through a career lull pre-FX, but she’s back in a big way and when Damages ends, a young writer/director could help her find Oscar glory by writing a role specifically for her, much like Scott Cooper did for Bridges with Crazy Heart. She clearly hasn’t found a big screen role worthy of her dramatic ability in years but as she continues to take up mantle space with her Damages work, it only seems like a matter of time before someone taps her for something important on the big screen.
Next Project(s): Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil (2010)
9. Leonardo DiCaprio:
Nominated For: What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), The Aviator (2004), and Blood Diamond (2006)
Why He’s Overdue: Is it possible for an actor in their mid-30s to be considered overdue? Leo’s Titanic co-star certainly was when she finally won her Oscar and DiCaprio has proven that he has the dramatic chops to be considered one of the best actors of his generation and not merely for his nominated work. He was robbed of nominations for both Titanic and The Departed and is currently delivering spectacular work in Shutter Island. If things had gone a little differently and he had been nominated for Titanic and The Departed and Shutter Island had come out last Fall as originally planned, we could be talking about Leo’s SIXTH nomination and just how overdue he is no matter his young age. It only seems a matter of time before he finally gets the part that lands him the Oscar. I bet it happens before he turns forty.
Next Project(s): Inception (2010) and Prisoners (2010)
8. Annette Bening:
Nominated For: The Grifters (1990), American Beauty (1999), and Being Julia (2004)
Why She’s Overdue: Because I’m tired of her taking stupid roles in junk like Running with Scissors and The Women and an Oscar would get her the parts she deserves. Bening is clearly more talented than the parts she’s been offered but she also clearly takes time between Oscar-ish films. It’s time for #4 and if she continues working to #5, she’ll have to be considered overdue merely by being in so many great films. Like a lot of people on this list, Bening has to be considered overdue merely for the breadth of her long, varied career. Like Bridges, she may need someone to write a juicy dramatic role for her specifically to finally get to the podium.
Next Project(s): The Kids Are All Right (2010), Hemingway & Fuentes (2010), and State of the Union (2010)
7. Ralph Fiennes:
Nominated For: Schindler’s List (1993) and The English Patient (1996)
Why He’s Overdue: Is anyone else surprised that Fiennes didn’t find a part for at least one more nomination in the 2000s? He arguably should have been more widely considered for a supporting nod for In Bruges but, unlike a lot of actors (although like several on this list), he didn’t seem that concerned about taking Oscar bait roles, choosing more complex films like Spider, The Constant Gardener, and The White Countess (we’ll ignore Maid in Manhattan like everyone should). But Lord Voldemort never lost his acting chops and is clearly one of the best alive at his craft. This is merely a case of a great actor waiting for a great part. I have a feeling the next time he gets nominated, he wins. With several major 2010 films, he’ll be back in the public eye in a big way and maybe the right producer will finally find him that part, although he may have found it for himself with his directorial debut of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, in which he’ll play the lead, Oscar-friendly role.
Next Project(s): Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010), Clash of the Titans (2010), Cemetery Junction (2010), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I (2010), and Coriolanus (2010)
6. Laura Linney:
Nominated For: You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Savages (2007)
Why She’s Overdue: Because it needs to happen now. I’m worried that Linney is passing that threshold where she’ll stop getting juicy dramatic roles much like Glenn Close did in the 1990s. It’s tough for actresses of a certain age to find parts as good Linney did in the 2000s, including in un-nominated but great work like Mystic River and The Squid and the Whale, along with her amazing performance on HBO’s John Adams. Laura Linney is one of those rare actresses who makes everything she’s in just a bit better. This one seems like a needed director/actress match-up. If the right writer/director could find the right way to exploit Linney’s remarkable sensitive intellectualism, she could easily start writing an acceptance speech.
Next Project(s): Sympathy for Delicious (2010), Morning (2010), and The Details (2010)
5. Johnny Depp:
Nominated For: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Finding Neverland (2004), and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Why He’s Overdue: Much like DiCaprio, Depp could have easily been nominated for more than three to date with several great performances ignored, especially in the 1990s before he started making big money for Hollywood. He may only have three nods, but when you add in a career that also includes great work in films like Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Public Enemies (all three better performances than the three for which he was nominated), it becomes clear that Depp is overdue for an acceptance speech. Like several names on this list, Depp winning an Oscar seems nearly inevitable. It will be more surprising if his career ends without one. It’s just a matter of time, although continuing to do Pirates movies and sticking with Tim Burton through the less impressive second half of his career may make that time a little longer.
Next Project(s): Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Rum Diary (2010), Rango (2011), The Tourist (2011), and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
4. Tom Cruise:
Nominated For: Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Jerry Maguire (1996), and Magnolia (1999)
Why He’s Overdue: Are we over the couch insanity yet? I know you think Tom Cruise is crazy and I’m not going to argue that but there are plenty of mentally unhinged actors with well-deserved Oscars and Cruise has delivered with very few career rough patches for a quarter-century now. It seemed likely to happen in the 2000s after the one-two punch of Jerry Maguire and Magnolia raised the actor’s critical profile significantly but Cruise had some hurdles in the last decade, ones that it seems would be easy to overcome in the next decade if he makes the right career decisions and stops going on daytime talk shows. Cruise has always been a director’s actor – he delivers when paired with talented filmmakers like Oliver Stone, Barry Levinson, Cameron Crowe, or P.T. Anderson. He needs to pair up with those kind of talented artists more often and he’ll find the part that finally gets him the Oscar he should have won for Magnolia.
Next Project(s): Knight and Day (2010) and Mission: Impossible IV (2011)
3. Joan Allen:
Nominated For: Nixon (1995), The Crucible (1996), and The Contender (2000)
Why She’s Overdue: With three nominations in six years, it seemed like Joan Allen was merely tallying them up until she would finally win a trophy. Sadly, the 2000s didn’t turn out that way but this actress is far too talented to retire without an Oscar. Allen didn’t help herself by limiting her film work and popping up in disasters like Death Race, but high acclaim for her TV work on Georgia O’Keeffe will hopefully put her back on the radar of producers that are producing Oscar bait films. Allen isn’t much older than Susan Sarandon was when she got her “overdue” role in Dead Man Walking. That kind of tough intellectual role would be perfect for Allen to finally get her date with Oscar.
Next Project(s): Good Sharma (2010)
2. Peter O’Toole:
Nominated For: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Becket (1964), The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980), My Favorite Year (1982), and Venus (2006)
Why He’s Overdue: Seriously? Because he’s 77, been nominated eight times already, and has been a part of the film industry for five decades. He’s one of the few true living legends and he probably should have won for Venus a few years ago (and probably would have if they hadn’t already given him an actual Honorary Award for career achievement). The only question with O’Toole is if someone will write him the right part again. Here’s all I have to say about that – Christopher Plummer is older and he got his first nomination this year and starred in a Best Picture nominee in Up. There’s definitely still time for O’Toole. The only question is which filmmaker out there is willing to write him the ninth nomination?
Next Project(s): Eager to Die (2010), Katherine of Alexandria (2011), and Mary Mother of Christ (2011)
1. Julianne Moore:
Nominated For: Boogie Nights (1997), The End of the Affair (1999), The Hours (2002), and Far From Heaven (2002)
Why She’s Overdue: Because she’s one of the best actresses alive and should have won at least one already for Far From Heaven and been nominated at least one more time for A Single Man. Moore made some bad career choices in the second half of the 2000s that derailed what seemed to be a Winslet-esque run where she’d be nominated every two to three years but if anyone thinks she can’t climb to that level of regular nominee again in the 2010s, they’re crazy. Moore delivers every single time and her raised profile this year with her nearly-nominated work in A Single Man and even her hilarious guest appearance on 30 Rock. Getting her back in the public eye will hopefully put her amazing talent in the mind of a writer out there currently crafting the next great female role. In short, she’s overdue.
Next Project(s): Chloe (2010), Shelter (2010), and The Kids Are All Right (2010)
I always thought Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio already won Oscars, I don’t necessarily agree wit DiCaprio or Tom Cruise being overdue an Oscar but I agree with the rest of them.
source: The Top 10 Actors Overdue for an Oscar [Movie Retreiver]
As we all know the summer brings all the big Hollywood blockbuster movies, which for the moviestars is a vital time because if there movie becomes a smash hit then they can ask for a bigger salary – if not then they will forever be tied to a movie bombing.
With this in mind, Forbes have put together a list of 15 moviestars who are in need of a hit with their summer blockbuster, be it to cement their career of a top grossing actor or redeem their fading career.
1. Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man 2
The first Iron Man took Hollywood by surprise with its mix of rapid-fire dialogue and hard-hitting action. Audiences loved the film, spending $585 million on tickets at the box office. The sequel looks like it will live up to the original–it’s already earned $100 million abroad.
2. Tom Cruise, Knight and Day
Cruise hasn’t had a major hit since 2006′s Mission: Impossible III. The star needs Knight and Day to bring in the crowds this summer. The actor earned some good buzz with his comedic cameo in 2008′s Tropic Thunder. Knight and Day (co-starring Cameron Diaz) could be just the mix of comedy and action Cruise needs for a comeback.
3. Angelina Jolie, Salt
In her career, Jolie has vacillated between action flicks like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Oscar bait like The Changeling. It seems the actress might be settling into the action life. She follows up the 2008 shoot-’em-up hit Wanted with this summer’s Salt, about a rogue CIA agent. Hollywood will be watching the box office returns to see if they prove she’s an action star worthy of $15 million a film.
4. Russell Crowe, Robin Hood
Crowe has had a rough couple of years. His last two films, State of Play and Body of Lies, disappointed at the box office. So there’s a lot riding on Robin Hood, Universal’s new take on the old story. With Cate Blanchett along for the ride as Marion, the film is sure to focus as much on acting as on bow and arrow action.
5. Julia Roberts, Eat Pray Love
“Chick flicks” like The Proposal, Sex and The City and Mamma Mia have performed well over the past few summers, so hopes are high for Roberts’ newest film, Eat Pray Love, based on the best-selling book by Elizabeth Gilbert. Roberts could use a hit. Her last big box office winner (aside from the Ocean’s films) was 2001′s America’s Sweethearts.
6. Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City 2
The first Sex and the City film was a smash hit, earning $415 million at the box office on an estimated budget of $65 million. The filmmakers are taking a risk with the sequel by taking Carrie and her friends out of Manhattan. If the movie’s a hit, though, it will mean big bucks for Parker, who is also a producer on the film.
7. Jake Gyllenhaal, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Gyllenhaal is best known for his work in serious movies like Donnie Darko, Zodiac and Brokeback Mountain. It’s quite a departure for the actor to take on the lead role in Prince of Persia, which is based on a videogame. If the film is a hit, Gyllenhaal might have found a second career for himself playing action heroes.
8. Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception
Leo finally had a big hit with Shutter Island. He needs that streak to continue if he’s going to hold onto his reputation as an actor worth $20 million for serious adult movies. Few films have been as shrouded in secrecy as Christopher Nolan’s Inception, which hits theaters July 16. It has something to do with technology and dreams, but that’s as much as anyone knows. Considering Nolan was the man behind The Dark Knight, Inception could be a huge hit.
9. Jennifer Aniston, The Switch
Aniston has had a run of bad luck at the box office lately. Love Happens and The Bounty Hunter both bombed despite the presence of strong costars like Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart. She needs The Switch to do well to maintain her reputation as a solid romantic comedy star.
10. Will Ferrell, The Other Guys
Ferrell starred in one of the biggest bombs of 2009 last summer: Land of the Lost, which earned only $68 million on an estimated budget of $100 million. Ferrell needs The Other Guys to be a hit. It helps that the cop movie has a lower budget than the effects-heavy Land of the Lost.
11. Matt Damon, The Adjustment Bureau
Thanks to the Bourne movies, Damon has starred in some top-earning films. But he’s also been in his share of duds. Recent movies like The Informant, Green Zone and Invictus have disappointed at the box office. The Adjustment Bureau is the directorial debut of writer George Nolfi, who penned The Bourne Ultimatum.
12. Steve Carell, Dinner for Schmucks and Despicable Me
If Carell leaves The Office next year, as rumored, he’ll have a burgeoning career as a movie star–his films this summer could either add to his momentum or break it. His most recent film, Date Night, has had a respectable run, earning $109 million at the box office worldwide. Dinner for Schmucks, co-starring Paul Rudd, is getting good buzz, as is the animated Despicable Me.
13. Mark Wahlberg, The Other Guys
Wahlberg is one of those dependable actors who can go between action films like Max Payne and serious dramas like The Lovely Bones with no problem. But until recently he’s stayed away from comedies. His shirtless performance in the comedy Date Night has audiences excited for the upcoming film The Other Guys, which stars Wahlberg and Will Ferrell.
14. Cameron Diaz, Shrek 4 and Knight and Day
The Shrek movies (which co-star Diaz as Princess Fiona) have been some of the biggest earners of all time, bringing in a total $2.2 million (EDIT: should read $2.2 billion) at the global box office so far. The fourth and final film is sure to be a box-office winner, especially because it’s being shown in 3-D. Audiences will be able to see Diaz in Knight and Day, which co-stars Tom Cruise.
15. Adam Sandler, Grown Ups
For his latest movie, Sandler brought along fellow Saturday Night Live veterans like Chris Rock and Rob Schneider for a big family ensemble comedy. The presence of Kevin James (hot off of last year’s Paul Blart: Mall Cop) could make the film a summer hit.
Normally when you hear news about Tom Cruise it’s along the lines of “weird Scientology guy is weird.”
Not today.
This weekend Hugh Jackman hosted A Fine Romance Benefit for the Motion Picture and Television Fund in L.A., where Katie Holmes stepped into her old theater shoes and a slinky black dress to perform the song “Whatever Lola Wants” from Damn Yankees. She was joined on stage for a bit of dancing (but unfortunately no singing) by her husband Tom Cruise.
I had forgotten how sexy Katie Holmes is. If she danced for me like that, I wouldn’t be able to get off of the bench for fear of showing the audience the raging erection. Just sayin’.
If you can judge by this video, they seem like a very happy couple. Unfortunately, every time I say that the proverbial poop hits the fan. By this time next week we may be hearing that Tom Cruise has been cheating on his hot wife with a midget that dresses as L. Ron Hubbard while reciting the story of Xenu. Naked.
Source: Katie Holmes Seduces Tom Cruise … On Stage [Popeater]
Like a growing number of celebrities, Jason Lee of “My Name is Earl” and just about every Kevin Smith movie is a hardcore Scientologist.
There’s nothing wrong with that, I say. If people want to be crazy, let them join a cult and run around believing in batshit insane theories.
As long as they don’t hurt anyone.
They do hurt people, though, according to Lee’s ex-wife Carmen Llywellyn. In a recent interview with the National Enquirer (yes, I know… not the most reliable source), Llywellyn claimed that she had to join the cul… Church of Scientology in order to marry Jason Lee. She tells the Enquirer,
“I have never spoken about Scientology before, but I still have nightmares about these people. They ruined my life and my career. I ended up addicted to painkillers, and it took three rehabs to get me straight. If I see a Scientologist now, I cross the street.”
Llywellyn also tells some stories about meeting other famous Scientologists.
“I was shopping recently when (“Dharma & Greg” star) Jenna Elfman, who’s a staunch Scientologist, approached me. She spouted statements like a robot and treated me like dirt because she knew I’d broken free.”
Of course, no post about Scientology would be complete without a statement about the cult’s main supporter and psycho extraordinaire, Tom Cruise.
“Jason and I were talking to Tom, and we told him that we went to the Scientology Centre in Los Angeles. He said brightly, ‘Oh, yeah? Well, me and Nicole are Scientologists, too! Right, Nic?’
“But she turned and gave Tom the most evil look. She stared at him for about 10 seconds, and Tom looked at her like he was throwing daggers with his eyes.
“I interpreted her look to mean, ‘I am not a Scientologist. And I will not be a Scientologist.’ She was clearly mad at Tom for saying she was. And the next thing you know, they’re getting a divorce!
“At the time, the word went around all the Scientologists that ‘Nicole is an S.P., so Tom has to divorce her.’ An S.P. is a Suppressive Person, which is Scientology jargon for the devil.”
Where do I sign up?
Source: Jason Lee and Scientology: Juicy Allegations by Lee’s Ex-Wife in ‘Enquirer’ Story, ‘Hollywood Cult Confidential’ [The Village Voice]
Anderson Cooper is launching a weeklong series about Scientology starting Monday, covering many of the allegations against the controversial religion.
Anderson Cooper 360, the CNN anchor’s nightly news show, is looking at Scientology’s “history of violence,†especially allegations that leader – and Tom Cruise best friend – David Miscavige has personally physically abused his followers.
Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis, son of actress Anne Archer, is interviewed by Cooper and claims that while there has been violence committed against members in the elite Sea Organization, the guilty offenders are those very people now making allegations against Miscavige.
Scientology is increasingly coming under attack by top-ranking members who’ve left the organization. Interestingly, none of the top Hollywood stars who support Scientology, including Cruise, John Travolta, Jenna Elfman and Kirstie Alley, have commented.
What do you think of Scientology and will you be watching the Anderson Cooper weeklong series? It’s sure to enlighten us a little more into what exactly is happening in Scientology right now.
source: Anderson Cooper Tackles Scientology [radar online]
Yesterday it was announced that Kate Winslet and her husband of seven years, Sam Mendes, were divorcing. As we all know that if you win an Oscar there is a curse, it seems for women on top of their career dying they tend to end up divorcing. Here are some of the famous ones:
Benjamin Bratt was the lucky man on Julia Roberts’ arm when she won the Oscar for her role in “Erin Brockovich†in 2001. Three months later their relationship was over—he went on to marry Talisa Soto, while she’s had three kids with husband Danny Moder. She’s yet to be nominated for a second time, so hopefully this relationship is safe.
The second actress to fall victim to this trend? Halle Berry, who won Best Actress in 2002 for “Monster’s Ball.†She’d been dating hot musician Eric Benet for years, and the two got hitched in 2001. Shortly after winning her Best Actress Oscar, Benet started cheating on her and allegedly went to sex addiction rehab. But it wasn’t enough—the couple separated in 2003 and divorced in 2005.
Infamously, Hilary Swank forgot to thank her hubby Chad Lowe, brother of Rob, when she won Best Actress in 2000 for her role as Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry.†Still, Chad seemed ultra supportive of her, and they were the ultimate down-to-earth Hollywood couple. They had just crossed the 13-years-together mark when Hilary won again in 2005, for “Million Dollar Baby,†and she made sure to thank him, first thing. The two divorced a year later. Rumors circulated that he couldn’t handle the level of success she’d found.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe met at her 21st birthday party—she supposedly walked up to him and said, “I think you’re my birthday presentâ€â€”and got married less than a year later. Reese had already popped out two kidlets seven years later, when she won Best Actress for her role in “Walk the Line,†and the pair seemed forevers. Nope. They split eight months after she gave her acceptance speech. Many assume Ryan was cheating on her with Abbie Cornish.
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise had already shocked the world by getting divorced when she won the Best Actress Oscar for portraying Virginia Woolf in “The Hours.†But she was clearly still having a hard time with the split at the time of her win. “He was huge; still is. To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge,†she told Ladies Home Journal. “But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him.†After rumored flings with Jude Law and Robbie Williams, Nicole allegedly gave Best Actor winner Adrien Brody her number backstage at the Oscars, and the two dated for a little while. She, of course, ended up getting remarried to Keith Urban.
Charlize Theron‘s relationship with actor Stuart Townsend seemed solid when she awed the Academy with her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos and won the Oscar. The two never officially tied the knot because they were waiting for same-sex couples to have the right to do the same. But Townsend said, “I don’t need a certificate or the state or the church to say otherwise. So no there’s no big official story on a wedding, but we are married … I consider her my wife and she considers me her husband.†Until the two sadly split up in January.
I guess that means Sandra Bullock should be worrying about her marriage to Jesse James could end up with the same faith since she won the Oscar this year.
source: Oscar Theory #5: Win Best Actress, Get Divorced [The Frisky]
The last time that rumors starting flying around that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were expecting a baby everybody thought the world was going to end. Well buckle up and hold on to your seats because here we go again.
Page Six are reporting that Suri Cruise could soon have a little alien brother or sister on the way because Katie is going undergoing intense “auditing,” yes I said auditing.
It seems that the Scientolgists don’t just have sex and have a baby, instead the mother of the child must be audited before she is allowed to carry a child.
A source said, “This is exactly what happened just before she got pregnant with Suri. Tom has made no secret of the fact that he would like another baby. It is almost as if she is being prepared for it. Scientologists believe the health and the sanity of the child begin long before birth.”
If the mother of child has to be audited before even getting pregnant, I really dread to think what she must go through to actually get pregnant and then during the whole 9 months of pregnancy.
If indeed Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are going to have a second baby, I hope you get ready for the world to explode.
source: Another Spawn of TomKat Might Land On Earth Soon [Dlisted]
Are you all ready for a bit of depression? Forbes have released their annual list of the Top-Earning Celebrity Couples and just like last year the top spot is owned by Beyonce and Jay-Z. But unlike last year the couple made $162 million, this year they earned $122 million. A sign of the recession?
01. Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles : $122 million
Between Jay-Z’s musical empire, Beyonce’s chart-topping hit “Single Ladies” and several clothing lines and ad deals, this couple knows how to use their fame to make money. Jay-Z has a hit with “Empire State of Mind,” which he performed with Alicia Keys at the World Series. His next tour launches in February. Last year Beyonce sang at Obama’s inaugural ball and her film, Obsessed, earned $74 million at the worldwide box office.
02. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart : $69 million
For the past few years Ford has stayed out of the spotlight, but he returned in a big way in 2008 with Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Ford earned $65 million for his work in the role. His girlfriend, Calista Flockhart, is no lazy daisy. She stars on the ABC show Brothers & Sisters.
03. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie : $55 million
Pitt and Jolie have always gotten plenty of attention, but now they’re making plenty of money too. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was one of Pitt’s highest grossing films, earning $334 million at the worldwide box office. Jolie is profiting by embracing her inner action hero. Wanted earned $341 million at the worldwide box office. Later this year she’ll appear in Salt as a disgraced CIA agent.
04. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith : $48 million
Smith is without a doubt the biggest movie star in the world. His films have earned a total $5.7 billion at the worldwide box office and studio heads say he earns every penny of his $20 million paycheck. Most of the couple’s earnings come from Smith, but Pinkett Smith has a growing career of her own. She’s been writing and producing films as well as voicing Gloria the hippo in the Madagascar films.
05. David and Victoria Beckham : $46 million
Beckham is still a worldwide soccer sensation at the ripe old age of 34. Part of the year he’s a star in Los Angeles with the Galaxy. The rest of the year he plays for A.C. Milan, which should help him land a spot on the England team to appear in a record-tying fourth World Cup this summer. Beckham’s wife, Victoria (better known as Posh Spice), is scheduled to appear as a guest judge on this year’s American Idol.
06. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi : $36 million
DeGeneres has become an entertainment mogul. She has a successful talk show, shills for American Express and owns part of a dog food company. Next she’ll take over for Paula Abdul as a judge on American Idol. Her significant other, de Rossi, stars in the ABC show Better Off Ted, which has garnered a cult following but seems poised for cancellation.
07. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson : $35.5 million
As one of the few actors in Hollywood who can still command a $20 million paycheck, Hanks is the main breadwinner in his house. He had another hit this year with Angels & Demons. The film earned $486 million at the worldwide box office. This summer he’ll once again voice Woody in Toy Story 3. Wilson has a much more low-key career, but she still pops up in best friend roles. She recently appeared with Meryl Streep in It’s Complicated.
08. Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy : $34 million
Carrey and McCarthy have been a couple for the last four years and in that time McCarthy’s profile has risen considerably. She’s gone from a Playboy model to an outspoken (and controversial) vaccine opponent. Carrey contributes the majority of money to the pair, but McCarthy will soon have her own television show under Oprah’s Harpo banner.
09. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes : $33.5 million
Cruise and Holmes are a source of endless fascination for tabloids and they’re also very rich. Cruise is the family breadwinner, earning $33 million between June 2008 and June 2009. Holmes still acts a little. In 2008 she starred in Mad Money alongside Diane Keaton. Up next for Cruise: Knight & Day with Cameron Diaz.
10. Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow : $33 million
As the front man for the group Coldplay, Martin outearns Paltrow. The group’s latest album, Viva la Vida, sold 2.6 million copies in the U.S. and 3 million in Europe. Paltrow will be the high-profile spouse in 2010 though when she reprises her role as Tony Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts, in Iron Man 2.
Lists like this make me really depressed, especially after I look at my bank account.
