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Hollywood's Most Profitable Actresses

Naomi Watts delivers big hits for relatively little pay

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 6, 2009 9:39 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Straitened studio heads unwilling to give $10 million to divas and hope for a hit should call Naomi Watts' agent right now. The Australian star of Mulholland Drive and The Ring is the most bankable actress in Hollywood, Forbes calculates. Her films earned an average of $44 for every dollar she was paid. The magazine looked at the 100 highest-earning actresses in film and found that lower-paid performers, at least by Hollywood standards often give studios a better return on investment.

The remainder of Forbes' list of most profitable actresses:

  1. Jennifer Connelly, $41
  2. Rachel McAdams. $30
  3. Natalie Portman, $28
  4. Meryl Streep, $27
  5. Jennifer Aniston, $26
  6. Halle Berry, $23
  7. Cate Blanchett, $23
  8. Anne Hathaway, $23
  9. Hilary Swank, $23

Actress Naomi Watts arrives on the occasion of the unveiling of the Extreme Beauty in Vogue exhibition, in downtown Milan, Italy, Monday, March 2, 2009.
Actress Naomi Watts arrives on the occasion of the unveiling of the "Extreme Beauty in Vogue" exhibition, in downtown Milan, Italy, Monday, March 2, 2009.   (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Actress Naomi Watts arrives on the red carpet for the screening of the film Mother and Child during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009.
Actress Naomi Watts arrives on the red carpet for the screening of the film "Mother and Child" during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Thinker
Oct 6, 2009 6:18 AM CDT
Do they still call them "actresses?" Why not "female actors?"
JoeQ
Oct 6, 2009 5:33 AM CDT
They should do the same calculation for the rest of the crew, particularly screenwriters.
Krystle
Oct 6, 2009 3:03 AM CDT
I thought most movies that Jennifer Aniston does tank. Weird to see her on that list.

 
Hollywood • Halle Berry • Jennifer Aniston • Cate Blanchett • Meryl Streep • Natalie Portman • Rachel McAdams • actor • Naomi Watts • Anne Hathaway • actress • return on investment • Jennifer Connelly • Hilary Swank

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