Who Are Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actresses?

Entertainment July 5, 2011 AT 6:10PM
Who Are Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actresses? Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage.com; Mike Marsland/WireImage.com; Avon via Getty Images

These ladies are making bank!

Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker are the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, according to Forbes' annual list. Both women brought in a whopping $30 million between May 2010 and May 2011.

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Coming in a close tie for third place are Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, who both brought in an estimated $28 million in the previous year.

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Julia Roberts -- whose most recent film, Larry Crowne, flopped in its opening weekend -- tied with Kristen Stewart as Hollywood's fifth highest-earning woman. Both ladies raked in $20 million between May 2010 and May 2011.

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What other femmes are cashing in? Katherine Heigl, Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep are all among Hollywood's highest earning females. 

Tell Us: Who do you think should be Hollywood's highest-paid actress?

Tell Us What You Think

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  • July 06, 2011 - 8:51pm Kimberly Paric

    Um, Anna, all of that "overspending" IS helping the economy. The way to build the economy is to put money into it.

  • July 06, 2011 - 8:44pm Kimberly Paric

    Which is why I rent movies. Holy Cow! No wonder it's to over $12 to go to a movie.

  • July 06, 2011 - 3:20pm Anne-Kari Hansen

    I guess all of them deserves what they're paid, but Meryl Streep really should be on the top, beacuse she is the only one with real talent!

  • July 06, 2011 - 11:50am Elda Reyes

    the joy to be rich and famous...

  • July 06, 2011 - 7:49am Mayer Booth

    They are all in Hollywood and tv over paid. Plenty of good actors to take their place. Plus all the free perks they get, I bet none of them pay anything for clothes for their kids, big names give them everything hoping the kid will be photographed in their brand. They get cars and everything just for showing up at award functions. Ridiculous.

  • July 06, 2011 - 1:24am Isabel Lani

    Their income depends on the box office of their movies, and some of the ladies are still living on better days, e.g. Julia Roberts. As much as I like Tom Hanks, why did they give that part to her? She even did not want to promote the film, he was alone on most red carpets and in Germany, he said that she want to spent her time with family. Nice for a housewife, but a working mother should..well..work. In another interview she stated that she doesn't like promotional stuff, so go home to your kids and nannies and the Moderboy, and stay there. When dolled up, she still looks ok, although more and more like her brother, and she is one of the most overrated persons in movie business ever, so not interesting, boring person and that huge mouth always wide open with this fake horsebite grin.....iuuuuu. Same with Jennifer Aniston, less than mediocre actress, many of her movie stink, nor only at box office, and those which made money are living on the co-stars, not on her always-the-same-lifeless apprearance. It is called ACTING, not having new hairdos, affairs, or "she is so bubbly/perky/grounded " whatever. Katharine Heigl? For what movie? Cameron Diaz? Bad teacher does well and she did a variety of very entertaining and good parts. Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon are queens and outstanding, real actresses, always convincing and do have not much crap on their reference sheet. The -still-reigning empress, Mery Streep, is a miracle, always. Is there anything she can't do? Comedy, tragedy, sing, accents...she is fantastic and ever was, from her first appearance until today. SJP is a fince actress, but again, where is the box office and the movies since SatC 1? Oh, Ms. Stewart...the box office is clear, that vampire stuff raked in truckloads of money, and she is, aside from all prejudice I had, a really, really good actress. That movie with James Gandolfini, she could hold a candle against him, and it's not easy NOT to fade away aainst such an overwhelming actor (horrible performace by Julia Roberts in The Mexican, by the way). She did a great job with Dakota Fanning in The Runaways, and I am sure, she will be a real leading lady in Indie movies and show us a veriety of different characters, and that is what an actor should. Oh, and I loved Freeway, that was really something, totally different, modern and fresh, and what a part for Reese W. The undestroyable red riding hood...a classic. Yes, the amounts of money they are getting paid is obscene, but, hey, it is showbusiness. Anette Bening, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa Leo, Catherine Keener, there are so many other fantastic actresses out there, who are well-paid and life a good life, but the bigger crowd are starving and glad to make it from mnth to month, small job to next casting. So, people just should be more focused on the acting and movie qualities, and not about the gossip media presence, the hair and private life. I do not care about Leonardo diCaprios love life, but man, did you see him in Blood Diamond? What an actor he became! Did anyone see Precious? Brilliant performances by the whole cast, without any PR-stories, fake romances and dumb comments. JUDGE THE ACTING, NOT THEIR LIVING!

  • July 06, 2011 - 12:53am Karen Martin

    all of these actresses are over-paid. don't get me wrong, some of them are pretty talented, but no actress should be paid this much, this is why instead of children wanting to grow up to be doctors and lawyers, they want to do something superficial like being an actor/actress or a model. and i agree with Anna Summers, these millions could feed families here in America or go towards programs that help under-privileged children

  • July 05, 2011 - 11:50pm Anna Summers

    celebrities are overpaid. No celebrity should be paid over 1 million dollars. They overspend and live in million dollar homes, wear overpriced outfits and purse...all that money could help the economy and feed many families in America.

  • July 05, 2011 - 10:24pm Marie Kemp Bray

    I don't think anyone is worth $30million for a few weeks work....anyone.

  • July 05, 2011 - 9:29pm Rebecca Macatee

    meryl streep should be higher up on this list!!! but otherwise, i think they're all pretty talented

  • July 05, 2011 - 8:57pm Chris Drake

    That Jolie gets so much for running around like a loon in action films or screehingly over acting is beyond me. None of them but Reese even acts decent. Much better out there. Won't last.

  • July 05, 2011 - 8:07pm Christine Tyler

    The fact that Jennifer Aniston gets paid so much for her crapfest, lackluster movies is a true testament to the idiocy of Hollywood.

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:59pm Stephanie Card

    @christiana, reese witherspoon seems really nice and down to earth, but the best actress seems to be really pushing it.

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:53pm Michelle Connearney

    SJP 30 Mil??? Really??? Don't people realize SATC is soooo Y2K?

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:23pm Angeline Moyo

    Angelina... yaaay, me loves!!

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:09pm Courtney Puzzo

    Oh shut up some of them have been around for decades like Ms Roberts who has also been nominated for 3 oscars winning 1. @samantha I agree with you most of these twits don't deserve the pay they make per film and if they get back end profit from the film. take 1993 for example Joanne Woodward had she gotten paid for her film work that year on the big screen would've gotten nearly 26 million dollars and thats for a supporting role in Philadelphia and narating The Age Of Innocence neither of which she took pay for and those were her last films before she retired from the big screen aged 63 after 38 years 27 films 2 Golden Globes & an oscar. Reese Julia & Angelina are the only ones in the list tha have a chance at actual legendary status like she has. the rest of them are one shot wonders

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:08pm Michelle Seal

    It's crazy to think that these people are making millions of dollars for a few weeks of work when military, teachers, and law enforcement barely scrape by. Our society really values the wrong things. The people who keep us safe and teach our children are the people who should be "cashing in."

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:06pm Anne Bof

    Meryl Streep should be the highest paid actress

  • July 05, 2011 - 7:06pm Christiana Sanford

    Reese Witherspoon is the best actress of all time in my book. Freeway is the best movie I have ever seen.

  • July 05, 2011 - 6:32pm Samantha Evans

    Most of those people are way over paid for the quality of movies they out out. Kristen stewart puh-lease. Angelina Jolie is put on some huge pedestal like she is some kind of royalty. Yes she helps underprivliged places and adopts needy kids but i have only seen her in maybe 3 good mivies. Julia roberts and reese witherspoon i can understand. but most of those people do not deserve it

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