The 40 Richest Female Celebrities
PA Photos40. Comedian Tina Fey is laughing all the way to the bank. The 30 Rock star is riding high on the popularity of her Sarah Palin impersonations and made $4.6m last year.
PA Photos39. Kate Moss seems to be able to survive anything, be it drug scandal, unsuitable boyfriend or celebrity face-off. The model, whose salary last year topped $8m, looks set to expand her collaboration with Topshop boss Sir Philip Green, and launch a $1bn fashion and entertainment brand
PA Photos38. Being a Desperate Housewife has never been so good if Eva Longoria’s $9m earnings are anything to go by. It was her role as the sexy Gabrielle Solis that projected this star into the limelight but it’s her contracts with L’Oreal Paris and Bebe Sport that have kept her in Manolos.
PA Photos37. Anne Hathaway’s emerging diversity as an actress – this year she’s appeared as a recovering drug addict and a competitive bride – as well as an Oscar nomination, mean the actress now commands an increasing salary. Last year, she took home $9m but she can probably expect a good deal more in 2010.
PA Photos36. Her turns behind the camera as well as in front of it, helped Drew Barrymore rake in $12m last year. The former wild child produced He’s Just Not That Into You, a surprise hit at the box office.
PA Photos35. Cate Blanchett doesn’t make a habit of appearing in blockbuster movies, but with an estimated $12m pay packet for Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull, who can blame her for doing just one.
PA Photos34. Venus Williams is a big hitter both on and off the court. The former Wimbledon champ and Olympic gold medallist just lags behind her sister with a $13m income for 2008.
PA Photos33. Katherine Heigl’s transition from TV star to big screen siren can be credited for her $13m income. She’s also the face of Nautica scent, which is bound to bring a pretty penny or two.
PA Photos32. She’s been voted the world’s most powerful celebrity, but in terms of earning power, Angelina Jolie is a bit of a small fish, bringing just $14m-a-year into the Jolie-Pitt homestead. Angie’s intention to concentrate on the children and only take on a small number of roles is likely to shrink her income even further – but then Brad can always lend her a few dimes.
PA Photos31. Tournament prize-money isn’t the only way Serena Williams keeps herself in tennis rackets. The younger Williams sister supplements her yearly income (estimated at $14m), with endorsements from Hewlett-Packard, Nike and Wilson.
PA Photos30. Heidi Klum may be concentrating on her growing family at the moment but the model still managed to bring in $14m last year, thanks to the renewal of her Victoria’s Secret contract, her Project Runway show and her endorsement deals with McDonalds, Diet Coke and Volkswagon. Definitely more than just a pretty face.
PA Photos29. Nicole Kidman has the dubious honour of being the most overpaid actress. The star’s last three films have grossed $8 for every dollar she was paid, but then she did earn $14.5m in 2008 so it’s not all bad.
PA Photos28. Alicia Keys certainly has something to sing about. The singer has built on the success of a fourth No1 album in the States, with cameo appearances in Ugly Betty and Medium, and an endorsement deal with Dove. And all her hard work has paid off… with a $15m salary.
PA Photos27. Sarah Jessica Parker made $18m last year thanks to the success of the Sex And The City film and her perfume line. Definitely enough to keep Carrie in Jimmy Choos, we think.
PA Photos26. Taylor Swift might sing country music, but her appeal has gone mainstream. The top selling artist of 2008, she made $18m in album and concert ticket sales.
PA25. After finding fame in 1994 with the film, Speed, Sandra Bullock went on to become one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors, banking her biggest paychecks (we’re talking $17m) for the Miss Congeniality films.
PA24. The only actress besides Julia Roberts to break the $20m-per-film mark, Cameron Diaz got her big break opposite Jim Carey in The Mask.
PA Photos23. The Spice Girls can thank the success of their 2008 reunion tour for their re-entry onto this list. The band made a whopping $21m each from the concerts - enough to spice up your life!
PA Photos22. For us Brits, the addition of Tyra Banks on this Rich List might come as a bit of a surprise; but the model-turned-business brain has produced two of the US’ highest rated shows, America’s Next Top Model and her daytime chat show. Tyra’s media endeavours made her $23m last year and a well-deserved place on our list.
PA Photos21. For every $12m that Mamma Mia made at the box office, Meryl Streep earned $1, and with the film grossing $575m, its star took home a cool $24m.
PA Photos20. Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar for Walk The Line, but it was the romantic comedy Four Christmases and her contract with cosmetics company Avon that have helped her income rocket to $25m a year.
PA Photos19. With a $25m annual pay packet, Disney star Miley Cyrus is the top-earning teen. The secret to Miley’s financial success is her flexibility: albums, book deals, movies, TV show and fashion lines, this 16-year-old will turn her hand to anything – and it’s bound to bring the pennies in.
PA Photos18. Gwyneth Paltrow revealed recently that until Iron Man she hadn’t made money from a film since 2002. The actress isn’t doing too bad considering; last year she earned $25m thanks to the Robert Downey Jr flick and her contract with Estée Lauder.
PA17. Julia Roberts is the highest-paid female actress in history, making up to $25m a film for her latest roles. We fell in love with her wide smile in Pretty Woman and reckon she’s worth every penny!
PA Photos16. Maria Sharapova was plagued by injury this season, but her pretty face secured endorsement deals with non-sports brands including Tag Heuer, Canon and Sony. With $26m in the bank this year alone, who can blame Maria if she spends more time in the shops than on court?
PA Photos15. There’s No Doubt that Gwen Stefani has a few bob but would you guess her annual income totals $27m? Her fashion line L.A.M.B, a string of concerts and the endorsement of technology giant Hewlett-Packard are all behind Gwen’s bulging bank balance.
PA Photos14. Thanks to the success of her four Twilight vampire books and their associated films, Stephenie Meyer has suddenly found herself in the world of fame and very large fortune. The author sold 29m books last year, generating $50m in income.
PA Photos13. With a $65m fortune, it’s not surprising that Ellen DeGeneres finds a lot to laugh about.
12. Gisele Bundchen has been the highest-paid model in the world for a good while now. Worth $70m, Gisele juggles over a dozen high-profile contracts each year.
PA Photos11. Beyoncé once sang about the problems of paying “Bills, Bills, Bills” but if the singer’s current fortune is anything to go by, it’s not something that will be concerning her now. The star is rumoured to be worth $80m, which added to together with husband Jay-Z’s $82m fortune, makes her part of Hollywood’s richest couple.
PA10. From teen sensation to tabloid queen (and all the haircuts in between), Britney Spears has been through the celebrity mill - and come out $100m richer on the other side.
PA9. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have gone from child stars to entrepreneurs, to fashion icons, and earned $100m along the way. Their fashion and lifestyle collections can be found across America and Europe.
PA8. She used to have a little; now she has a lot… Jennifer Lopez is worth upwards of $100m, thanks to her media powerhouse status in music and films (and for having a rather famous behind).
PA7. Jennifer Aniston made her millions ($110m to be exact) playing Rachel Green in Friends, with the final episodes reportedly making the stars $1m a piece per show.
PA6. With a $150m fortune, Janet Jackson has sold over 50 million records, toured all over the world, and even flashed a boob on national telly (sorry Jan – we can’t forget that!).
PA5. Over 160m albums sold worldwide and $225m in the bank, Mariah Carey revived her career in 2005 (after dominating the ‘90s), with America’s biggest hit of the year, “We Belong Together.”
PA4. Celine Dion has a cool $250m to her name. A certain single from Titanic has ensured that the Canadian singer’s riches (and heart) will go on and on.
PA3. Madonna is worth $325m thanks to countless image re-inventions and an astute business sense. While her records don’t sell like they used to, the Material Girl’s gigs still sell-out when she tours worldwide.
Rex Features2. JK Rowling’s writing magic has made her a $1bn fortune and the world’s richest author. Harry Potter merchandise, of which she gets a cut, made $15bn last year.
PA Photos1. Oprah Winfrey, the queen of American media, has raked up a self-made fortune of $1.3bn over the years. She’s one of Hollywood's most generous charity givers and donates to needy women and children via her personal charity, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation.
