20 Top Paid Actresses in the World

We all know that a successful actress can make a lot of money. It takes talent and hard work, in most cases, and maybe a little bit of luck. So can you guess which actresses are making the most money? Check out this list to see who’s rolling in the dough and why.

1. DINA MERRILL
NET WORTH: $5.1 BILLION

The oldest and richest on the list is Dina Merrill. She was the darling of the 50s and 60s with 22 film credits to her name and a number of television appearances. It isn’t her acting that made her a billionaire (yes billionaire). She is the heir to the Post cereal fortune and made a number of savvy business ventures with her different husbands. She wasn’t just a pretty and rich face though she was skilled and was given a lifetime achievement award from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

2. JESSICA ALBA
NET WORTH: $200+

Jessica Alba is a very successful actress with a number of movies and a television series under her belt. Her acting career has garnered her a net worth of $200 million but when she had children she also became co-founder of The Honest Company. The company is currently valued at around $1 billion and going IPO in the near future so her net worth may grow very soon.

3. SANDRA BULLOCK
NET WORTH: $200 MILLION

Sandra Bullock has reached a point in her career where she only works when she wants to and on the projects she wants. Her most recent film with George Clooney, Gravity, made well over $250 million and showed her ability to carry the movie when she was the only one on the screen. She was paid $56 million for one movie making her the highest paid actress in the world.

4. JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS
NET WORTH: $200 MILLION

This Seinfeld actress comes by her $200 million net worth by her own acting career. She has won a Golden Globe and 5 Emmys for her acting career. However, she is also the daughter of billionaire Gerard Louis-Dreyfus so it is possible her net worth may one day go up when she comes into her inheritance. She seems too focused on her acting career to have much to do with Louis-Dreyfus Energy Services.

5. JULIA ROBERTS
NET WORTH: $175 MILLION

Julia Roberts rose to fame after starring in Pretty Women. She gets $25 million per film and she has some of the highest returns of any actress in Hollywood. People magazine has named one her one of the most beautiful people on the planet 11 times and her films have grossed over $2 billion in ticket sales alone. She has also won an Oscar for her role in Erin Brockovich.

6. JENNIFER ANISTON
NET WORTH: $150 MILLION

Jennifer Aniston is without a doubt one of the most recognized comedic actresses in Hollywood today. She was the star of the highly successful show Friends. In the final seasons of the show Aniston was making $1 million an episode making her one of the highest paid television actresses in history. She has gone on to start in a number of movies that have become significant box office draws.

7. ANGELINA JOLIE
NET WORTH: $145 MILLION

Angelina Jolie is not only a talented actress, earning $19 million for her role in Maleficent, she is also a dedicated activist. She travels the world speaking out on human rights issues, all the while continuing pull in one of the biggest paychecks in Hollywood. The rights to the first pictures of her firstborn went for over $3 million alone…although Brad and Angelina donated that money.

8. JANE FONDA
NET WORTH $120 MILLION

Jane Fonda is a well-known actress whose numerous roles have earned her a tidy sum of money. She is the daughter of Henry Fonda and the winner of two academy awards, an Emmy and seven Golden Globes. However, most people know her as Hanoi Jane for the fact that she sided with the Black Panthers during the Vietnam War. In addition to her acting career she also made money through several fitness videos.

9. CAMERON DIAZ
NET WORTH: $90 MILLION

In 2013, Cameron Diaz was named the highest paid actress over 40 but that was before Sandra Bullock’s big Gravity payday. She consistently pulls in the crowds with her comedy roles including The Mask, There’s Something About Mary and Bad Teacher. However, she is also known for a few dramatic roles and her voice acting in Shrek. Her most recent film was The Other Woman which earned her $19 million.

10. SOFIA VERGARA
NET WORTH: $85 MILLION

This Modern Family star remains the highest paid television actress for the third year in a row. She earned $37 million last year which actually puts her higher than the highest paid television actor Ashton Kutcher. She also gets a great deal of money from her endorsement deals which help her get to that $37 million a year mark.

11. KRISTEN STEWART
NET WORTH: $70 MILLION

There are few who would argue that Kristen Stewart doesn’t belong in the same class as many of the talented actresses on this list. But she got $25 million per Twilight movie with a small percentage of profits that could make her pay $40 million, so she fits into the got lucky category of high paid actresses. She may not have the talent to propel her very far but Twilight should be a big enough payday to last her.

12. GWYNETH PALTROW
NET WORTH: $65 MILLION

Continuing on the superhero track is Gwyneth Paltrow, who has had a number of great roles, but the bulk of her money is coming in from the Iron Man series. She made $19 million from Iron Man 3 and since Robert Downey Jr. has already let loose that there will be an Iron Man 4, her payday isn’t going away any time soon. Not to mention she gets some high paying endorsement deals too.

13. MERYL STREEP
NET WORTH: $65 MILLION

Meryl Streep is an icon in Hollywood, regarded as one of the most talented actresses of all time. She has been nominated for more Academy Awards than any other actor or actress in history, winning three of them. She has been nominated for 29 Golden Globes, winning 8 which is more nominations and wins than any other actor or /actress in history. With all this it may be surprising to know that she only pulls in $10 million per movie.

14. SCARLETT JOHANSSON
NET WORTH: $65 MILLION

What actresses like Scarlett Johansson teach the world is that getting cast in a superhero series is big money. The Marvel series makes big money and being cast as Black Widow means that Scarlett Johansson has some big paydays coming. Right now she gets paid $17 million per film, which may not be as much as Robert Downey Jr., but it is still a big payday for one film.

15. EMMA WATSON
NET WORTH: $60 MILLION

The Harry Potter leading actress was easily pulling in $15- $20 million a year while filming the series. That money will last her on her current break from any major acting projects. Despite spending her entire life wanting to be an actress, Emma Watson is currently a goodwill ambassador and championing women’s issues around the world.

16. MARISKA HARGITAY
NET WORTH: $45 MILLION

Mariska Hargitay has been on Law and Order: SVU for 13 seasons and continues to be one of the biggest draws of the show. As she stays with the show her paycheck keeps growing and she is now the second highest paid television actress earing $13 million a year. She has been nominated for 8 Emmy awards, 6 SAG awards, and two Golden Globes. Of these she won one Emmy and one Golden Globe.

17. JENNIFER LAWRENCE
NET WORTH: $40 MILLION

Her current net worth may be small, but she is well on her way. Thanks to the success of the first Hunger Games movie, she is now able to command a big salary for the future films in the series. It is estimated that she made $34 million for the latest film which makes her the second highest paid actress in 2014 after Sandra Bullock. She was only paid $1 million up front for the first film so the success of the film has propelled her career by leaps and bounds.

18. KALEY CUCUO-SWEETING
NET WORTH: $30 MILLION

Kaley Cucuo-Sweeting is most known for her role on the highly popular The Big Bang Theory which nets her $11 million a year. She has been on the show since 2007 and her paycheck was grown as the show became the most watched comedy on television. Prior the Big Bang Theory she appeared on 8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter and Supernatural.

19. ELLEN POMPEO
NET WORTH: $30 MILLION

Another actress that brings in a big payday for her television role is Ellen Pompeo, who nets $350,000 per episode, or $10 million a year. She is most known for her current role on Grey’s Anatomy which she has been the star of since 2005. She says that once Grey’s Anatomy is done that she will no longer be acting because she does not find it very empowering.

20. JULIANNA MARGUILES
NET WORTH: $22 MILLION

Julianna Marguiles is third on the list of highest paid television actresses with a yearly income of $10 million. But it is only by choice that she has a smaller paycheck than Mariska Hargitay. She left ER at the height of her career on the show and was offered $27 million to stay on the show. She decided it was time to move on and try new things.