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It's Angelina Jolie's turn to be on top, of Forbes Celebrity 100, that is. Even making $275 million last year, Oprah Winfrey, the media queen, didn't manage to beat out actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie as number one on the list of the world's most powerful celebrities.
Other members of the top five include Madonna at number three, Beyoncé at number 4, and rounding out the bunch is the only male at number 5, Tiger Woods. According to Forbes, Jolie earned the top spot following a year that includes her release of hit films Kung Fu Panda and Wanted, but the magazine does not mention Changeling, a role that got her an Oscar nomination. She earned $27 million at the box office, generated a lot of attention with the birth of her twins fathered by Brad Pitt, who is number nine on the list. She also continued her multiple philanthropic efforts. All this while handling the constant coverage by the tabloids of her relationship with Pitt.
Oprah made a strong showing, her earnings of nearly $300 million again, came from her magazine and a $55 million XM satellite radio deal, which made up for her drop in ratings for her talk show.
Madonna landed the number 3 slot with $110 million, mainly from her Hard Candy world tour. The tour grossed $280 million total. In addition to the tour, she also had publicity from her divorce, love affair with Alex Rodriguez, and her dramatic attempts at adopting a second child.
Beyoncé's $87 million came from album sales and touring, film work, her Dereon fashion collection, appearing at the Oscars and the Presidential Inaugural Ball, in addition to several endorsement deals.
Tiger Woods managed to pull in $110 million, even with an injury that left him on the sidelines for half the year. He managed to make that hefty total through endorsements, appearance fees, and designing golf courses.
Stephanie Meyer, author of the vampire series Twilight, debuted at number 26. She sold 29 million books, and had a hit movie for which she earned $50 million. The other first-timer on the list was Taylor Swift who ranked 69.
Other fierce females who made the cut this year include: Jennifer Aniston - 8th, Britney Spears - 13th, Miley Cyrus - 29th, Carrie Underwood - 75th, and Anne Hathaway - 85th.
President Barack Obama is the first sitting head of state to make the list, ranked at 49, because of his historic election victory, and earnings from book sales of $2.5 million.
Even with the global economic meltdown, Forbes reports the Celebrity 100 cumulative earning power was $4.1 billion, higher than last year's $4 billion. The list is totaled by measuring the entertainment-related earnings, combined with the media visibility of film and TV actors, athletes, models, chefs, authors and musicians, between June 2008 and June 2009.
