Rich Ladies: Hollywood’s Top Ten Highest Paid Actresses

Don’t frown, Reese! Hollywood pays you more to smile and be cute!

The Hollywood Reporter today has a list of the top 10 highest paid actresses in Hollywood.

Though actress salaries have been moving up in recent years, the article does note that top stars seem pretty willing to go below their asking price to fill in their schedules, agreeing to “no-quote” deals that will almost halve their paychecks (by “no-quote” I am guessing they mean “don’t tell anyone I’m working this cheap.”). Reese Witherspoon supposedly starts at $15 million for starring in a comedy, but dropped her pay drastically to do the drama Rendition (which, despite the cut, still probably hasn’t earned back her paycheck).

Anyway, all sociological and cultural implications about Hollywood and America’s willingness to pay more money to Miss Witherspoon to be cute and antic aside, here’s the top ten list:

1. Reese Witherspoon
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Cameron Diaz
4. Nicole Kidman
5. Renee Zellweger
6. Sandra Bullock
7. Julia Roberts
8. Drew Barrymore
9. Jodie Foster
10. Halle Berry

Wow, you look at this list and you see a lot of people who are living off their past performance, not future results. Sandra Bullock? Drew Barrymore? I mean, do producers still really believe that they should get paid THAT much? I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anyone say, “Oh, I HAVE to see the new Drew Barrymore movie that’s opening this weekend!”

Others are in need of a hit, like Nicole Kidman. The Golden Compass won’t rely on her for it’s success but the big Baz Luhrmann period drama Australia could be a turning point…or a killer. Julie Roberts hasn’t done much lately, mostly taking time off to have kids, so her paycheck is definitely more reliant on her past glory. It remains to be seen if she still is a big draw or if she’s going to fall back to the pack.

The most intriguing name on the list (to me, anyway) is Jodie Foster. Movies like The Brave One, Inside Man, and Flightplan have all been solid, though not spectacular moneymakers. But she’s a really consistent performer, seemingly taking on good projects that are right for her and can strike a chord with audiences. If you pay Jodie Foster a lot, it looks like your chances of earning that money back are good. She’s like a hitter who doesn’t rack up a lot of home runs, but hits for average, steadily drives in runs, moves the runners over and can be counted on to not hit into a double play in a big spot.

The article notes that newcomers on the rise in the paycheck stakes include Jennifer Garner, Rachel McAdams, and Katherine Heigl. Let’s see out of that trio who will really stick.