WEIRDLAND: Top 10 Most Profitable Actresses

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Top 10 Most Profitable Actresses

Hilary Swank and Emile Hirsch at "Milk" Premiere in Los Angeles Afterparty, 2008.

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.

Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal in "Brokeback Mountain".

9. Anne HathawayThe 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.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Jennifer Aniston in "The Good Girl".

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.Natalie Portman with Jake Gyllenhaal at 9th Annual Kids for Kids Celebrity Carnival, on 28th April 2002, NY.

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 McAdamsThanks 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.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly in "Blood Diamond".

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 WattsThe 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: gone-hollywood.com

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