The World's Most Powerful Celebrities - Forbes.com

The World's Most Powerful Celebrities - Forbes.com

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Rank	Name	Pay ($mil)	TV/Radio Rank	Press Rank	Web Rank	Social Rank
1	Oprah Winfrey	315	1	5	5	11
2	Beyonce Knowles	87	9	13	2	15
3	James Cameron	210	21	9	20	81
4	Lady Gaga	62	13	4	1	1
5	Tiger Woods	105	7	6	35	34
6	Britney Spears	64	15	24	3	2
7	U2	130	54	18	11	28
8	Sandra Bullock	56	6	21	17	62
9	Johnny Depp	75	34	22	16	21
10	Madonna	58	16	3	4	33

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Power Rank	1
Pay	$315.0 mil
Category	Personalities
Pay Rank	1
Web Rank	5
Press Rank	5
TV/Radio Rank	1
Social Rank	11

Oprah Winfrey (born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.^[1] She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century,^[2] the greatest black philanthropist in American history,^[3][4] and was once the world's only black billionaire.^[5][6]She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.^[7][8]

Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy.^[9]Sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place^[5] she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.

Credited with creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication,^[10] she is thought to have popularized and revolutionized^[10][11] thetabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue,^[10] which a Yale study claims broke 20th century taboos and allowed LGBT people to enter the mainstream.^[12][13] By the mid 1990s, she had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, and spirituality. Though criticized for unleashing confession culture and promoting controversial self-help aids,^[14] she is often praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others.^[15] From 2006 to 2008, her support of Barack Obama, by one estimate, delivered over a million votes in the close 2008 Democratic primary race.^[16]

Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Television 2.1 Celebrity interviews 3 Other media 3.1 Film 3.2 Publishing and writing 3.3 Online 3.4 Radio 4 Personal life 4.1 Homes 4.2 Romantic history 4.3 Close friends 4.4 Personal wealth 5 Influence 5.1 Rankings 5.2 'Oprahfication' 5.2.1 Mainstream acceptance of gays and lesbians 5.3 "The Oprah Effect" 5.4 Spiritual leadership 5.5 Fan base 5.6 Philanthropy 5.6.1 South Africa 6 Bibliography 7 References 8 External links

Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey at her 50th birthday party at Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, in 2004
Born	Orpah Gail Winfrey January 29, 1954 (age 57) Kosciusko, Mississippi, United States
Residence	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Occupation	Talk show host, media proprietor,actress
Years active	1983–present
Political party	Democratic Party
Partner	Stedman Graham
Signature
Website
Oprah.com

Power Rank2Pay$87.0 milCategoryMusiciansPay Rank11Web Rank2Press Rank13TV/Radio Rank9Social Rank15

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles ( /biˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say; born September 4, 1981), often known by the mononym Beyoncé, is an American recording artist, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world'sbest-selling girl groups of all time.

During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album Dangerously in Love in 2003, which spawned the number one hits "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy" and became one of the most successful albums of that year, earning her a then record-tying five Grammy Awards.^[2] Following the group's disbandment in 2005, Knowles released her second solo album, B'Day in 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and included the hits "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in 2008, and included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The album earned Knowles six Grammys at the 52nd Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night.^[3][4]

Apart from her work in music, Knowles has also launched a career in acting. In 2001, she made her debut in the musical film Carmen: A Hip Hopera, prior to appearing in major films, including Dreamgirls (2006), which earned her two Golden Globe nominations, and Cadillac Records (2008). In 2004, Knowles and her mother introduced their family's fashion line, House of Deréon, and has also endorsed brands such as Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani and L'Oréal. In June 2010, Knowles was ranked second on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world,^[5][6] and first on its list of the Most Powerful and Influential musicians in the world.^[7]

Knowles has earned numerous awards and accolades. She is one of the most honored artists by the Grammys, and third among female artists,^[8] with a total of 16 Grammy Awards^[9] — 13 as a solo artist and 3 as a member of Destiny's Child.^[10] Knowles was ranked the 4th Artist of the 2000s decade byBillboard^[11] and was listed the most successful female artist of the decade, as well as the top radio artist of the decade.^[12] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), also listed Knowles as the top certified artist of the decade.^[13][14] In the United States alone, Knowles has sold over 11.2 million albums and nearly 25 million singles as of May 2010. As of September 2009, she has sold 75 million records worldwide as a solo artist, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.^[15]

Contents [hide] 1 Life and career 1.1 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings 1.2 1997–2001: Destiny's Child era and depression 1.3 2002–04: Solo career, films, and Dangerously in Love 1.4 2004–07: Destiny's Child reunion, films, and B'Day 1.5 2008–09: Marriage, I Am... Sasha Fierce, and films 1.6 2010–present: Fourth studio album 2 Artistry 2.1 Music and voice 2.2 Stage and alter ego 2.3 Public image 3 Influences and legacy 4 Other ventures 4.1 Clothing lines 4.2 Products and endorsements 5 Philanthropy 6 Filmography 7 Discography 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé on tour in Newcastle, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Born	September 4, 1981 (age 29)[1]
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, entertainer, choreographer, model, video director
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Columbia
Associated acts	Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Solange Knowles
Website	beyonceonline.com Beyoncé's autograph

Power Rank	3
Pay	$210.0 mil
Category	Directors/ Producers
Pay Rank	2
Web Rank	20
Press Rank	9
TV/Radio Rank	21
Social Rank	81

James Francis Cameron^[1] (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, and inventor.^[2][3] His writing and directing work includes Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991),True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), Dark Angel (2000-2002), and Avatar (2009). In the time between making Titanic and his return to feature films with Avatar, Cameron spent several years creating many documentary films (specifically underwater documentaries), and also co-developed the digital 3-D Fusion Camera System. Described by a biographer as part-scientist and part-artist,^[4] Cameron has also contributed to underwater filming and remote vehicletechnologies.^[2][3][5]

In total, Cameron's directorial efforts have grossed approximately US$2 billion in North America and US$6 billion worldwide.^[6] Without adjusting for inflation, Cameron's Titanic and Avatar are the two highest-grossing films of all time at $1.8 billion and $2.7 billion respectively.^[7] In March 2011 he was named Hollywood's top earner by Vanity Fair, with estimated 2010 earnings of $257 million.^[8]

Contents [hide] 1 Background 2 Early career 3 Major films 3.1 The Terminator (1984) 3.2 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) 3.3 Aliens (1986) 3.4 The Abyss (1989) 3.5 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 3.6 True Lies (1994) 3.7 Titanic (1997) 3.8 Spider-Man and Dark Angel (2000–2002) 3.9 Documentaries (2002–2009) 3.10 Avatar (2009) 4 Awards 4.1 Filmography and Awards 5 Casting 6 Recurring themes 7 Filmography 8 Personal life 9 Reputation 10 Appearances in media 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links

James Cameron
Cameron in September 2007.
Born	James Francis Cameron August 16, 1954 (age 56) Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Film director, film producer, film editor, screenwriter, inventor
Years active	1978–present
Influenced by	Stanley Kubrick, Edgar Rice Burroughs, George Lucas,Roger Corman, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott
Spouse	Sharon Williams (1978–1984) Gale Anne Hurd (1985–1989) Kathryn Bigelow (1989–1991) Linda Hamilton (1997–1999) Suzy Amis (2000–present)

#4 Lady Gaga

James Cameron

Tiger Woods

Power Rank	4
Pay	$62.0 mil
Category	Musicians
Pay Rank	22
Web Rank	1
Press Rank	4
TV/Radio Rank	13
Social Rank	1

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Lady Gaga

A newcomer to the Celebrity 100, Lady Gaga broke down the door to fame with outlandish outfits and quirky videos, including one that featured her and Beyonce poisoning an unappreciative boyfriend. Bringing in an estimated $31 million with a 106-date tour that grossed $95 million, Lady Gaga is also a marketer's dream, teaming up with Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Monster Cable and Viva Glam.

#5 Tiger Woods

Lady Gaga

Britney Spears

Power Rank	5
Pay	$105.0 mil
Category	Athletes
Pay Rank	7
Web Rank	35
Press Rank	6
TV/Radio Rank	7
Social Rank	34

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods' fall from global sports icon to tabloid fodder was stunning. He saw Accenture, AT&T and Pepsi drop him as a pitchman, but he remains the highest-paid athlete in the world thanks to huge deals with Nike, Electronic Arts and Upper Deck. Nike built a $650 million (sales) golf business from scratch on Woods' back. His fledgling golf course design business has been hurt by the economic downturn, as all three courses he's worked on have experienced major delays.

#6 Britney Spears

Tiger Woods

U2

Power Rank	6
Pay	$64.0 mil
Category	Musicians
Pay Rank	20
Web Rank	3
Press Rank	24
TV/Radio Rank	15
Social Rank	2

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Britney Spears

Not long ago, most of the entertainment world had written Britney Spears off as a celebrity flameout. But over the last year Spears logged the fifth highest-grossing tour in the world, bringing in $130 million in gross box office receipts by playing 98 dates. High-profile endorsement deals with Elizabeth Arden and Candies' prove that the public expects Spears to stay in the spotlight for good.

#7 U2

Britney Spears

Sandra Bullock

Power Rank	7
Pay	$130.0 mil
Category	Musicians
Pay Rank	3
Web Rank	11
Press Rank	18
TV/Radio Rank	54
Social Rank	28

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See LATEST news, photos and video of U2

The world's biggest rock band, U2 launched a massive world tour in 2009 that has brought in more than $311 million in gross box office receipts. Each tour stop brings in $10 million in gross ticket sales. Add in lucrative merchandise sales, heavy radio play and a steady-selling back catalog, and you have the highest-earning band on the planet.

#8 Sandra Bullock

U2

Johnny Depp

Power Rank	8
Pay	$56.0 mil
Category	Actresses
Pay Rank	25
Web Rank	17
Press Rank	21
TV/Radio Rank	6
Social Rank	62

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Sandra Bullock

With two hit movies (The Proposal and The Blind Side) and an Oscar win, Bullock should have been sitting on top of the world. She is financially. With $56 million she's the highest-earning actress. But a messy breakup with cheating husband Jesse James turned her into tabloid fodder. Bullock overcame adversity with news of an adoption and a public return at the MTV Movie Awards.

#9 Johnny Depp

Sandra Bullock

Madonna

Power Rank	9
Pay	$75.0 mil
Category	Actors
Pay Rank	14
Web Rank	16
Press Rank	22
TV/Radio Rank	34
Social Rank	21

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Johnny Depp

Depp zooms close to the top of our list this year thanks to his work as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's 3-D update of Alice in Wonderland. The Disney film has grossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, making Depp the only actor to headline two $1 billion films. Depp also landed a big upfront payday for The Tourist. Costarring Angelina Jolie, the film is a rare case these days of two big stars getting big bucks.

#10 Madonna

Johnny Depp

Simon Cowell

Power Rank	10
Pay	$58.0 mil
Category	Musicians
Pay Rank	24
Web Rank	4
Press Rank	3
TV/Radio Rank	16
Social Rank	33

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See LATEST news, photos and video of Madonna

The Material Girl isn't quite ready to cede her spot in pop music's hierarchy to Lady Gaga or Britney Spears just yet. The 52-year-old singer had the fourth highest-grossing tour of 2009, bringing in $6 million a night and $138 million overall. An episode of the Fox hit sitcom Glee, which featured cast members singing several of her songs, added to her already high profile and cushioned her significant earnings from publishing royalties.

The Celebrity 100

06.28.10, 06:00 PM EDT

Show: ---Select Category---AllActorsActressesAthletesAuthorsComediansDirectors/ProducersHip-hop impresarioModelsMusiciansPersonalitiesTelevision actorsTelevision actressesTeen stars

Search the full list for:

Rank	Name	Pay ($mil)	Money Rank	TV/Radio Rank	Press Rank	Web Rank	Social Rank	Category
1	Oprah Winfrey	315	1	1	5	5	11	Personalities
2	Beyonce Knowles	87	11	9	13	2	15	Musicians
3	James Cameron	210	2	21	9	20	81	Directors/Producers
4	Lady Gaga	62	22	13	4	1	1	Musicians
5	Tiger Woods	105	7	7	6	35	34	Athletes
6	Britney Spears	64	20	15	24	3	2	Musicians
7	U2	130	3	54	18	11	28	Musicians
8	Sandra Bullock	56	25	6	21	17	62	Actresses
9	Johnny Depp	75	14	34	22	16	21	Actors
10	Madonna	58	24	16	3	4	33	Musicians
11	Simon Cowell	80	12	20	20	46	64	Personalities
12	Taylor Swift	45	38	8	27	8	3	Teen stars
13	Miley Cyrus	48	32	17	26	6	20	Teen stars
14	Kobe Bryant	48	32	22	16	21	22	Athletes
15	Jay-Z	63	21	45	29	23	26	Hip-hop impresario
16	Black Eyed Peas	48	32	42	36	18	37	Musicians
17	Bruce Springsteen	70	16	48	32	47	48	Musicians
18	Angelina Jolie	20	76	19	30	10	41	Actresses
19	Rush Limbaugh	58.5	23	10	45	41	78	Personalities
20	Michael Jordan	55	26	38	31	38	27	Athletes
21	Dr. Phil McGraw	80	12	3	68	94	45	Personalities
22	Steven Spielberg	100	8	71	40	49	77	Directors/Producers
23	Ellen DeGeneres	55	26	31	58	50	5	Personalities
24	David Letterman	45	38	3	25	33	76	Personalities
25	Tyler Perry	125	4	56	76	82	36	Directors/Producers
26	Jennifer Aniston	27	67	40	41	22	74	Actresses
27	Pink	44	43	35	35	14	18	Musicians
28	LeBron James	43	45	23	11	39	31	Athletes
29	Roger Federer	43	45	28	1	44	13	Athletes
30	Brad Pitt	20	76	25	15	12	73	Actors
31	Floyd Mayweather	65	19	47	62	77	52	Athletes
32	Michael Bay	120	5	90	71	70	97	Directors/Producers
33	Donald Trump	50	30	26	57	59	75	Personalities
34	Jay Leno	35	54	2	28	29	65	Personalities
35	Coldplay	48	32	86	47	26	4	Musicians
36	David Beckham	44	43	64	10	31	19	Athletes
37	Jerry Seinfeld	75	14	51	80	86	89	Comedians
38	AC/DC	114	6	88	100	83	24	Musicians
39	Howard Stern	70	16	57	92	63	84	Personalities
40	Jonas Brothers	35.5	53	32	56	15	7	Teen stars
41	Tom Hanks	45	38	49	44	42	46	Actors
42	George Lucas	95	10	94	81	67	82	Directors/Producers
43	Glenn Beck	35	54	12	50	28	39	Personalities
44	Ryan Seacrest	51	29	41	83	75	14	Personalities
45	Phil Mickelson	46	37	24	19	88	90	Athletes
46	Ben Stiller	53	28	72	61	68	23	Actors
47	Jerry Bruckheimer	100	8	94	88	89	94	Directors/Producers
48	Cristiano Ronaldo	36	51	97	2	19	8	Athletes
49	Alex Rodriguez	36	51	11	14	73	83	Athletes
50	Robert Pattinson	17	86	53	37	7	68	Actors
51	Conan O'Brien	38	50	5	46	93	30	Personalities
52	Shaquille O'Neal	31	61	27	33	60	9	Athletes
53	James Patterson	70	16	98	84	97	57	Authors
54	Kenny Chesney	50	30	70	89	91	40	Musicians
55	Manny Pacquiao	42	47	52	52	64	60	Athletes
56	Tom Cruise	22	73	43	38	25	43	Actors
57	Adam Sandler	40	48	65	74	66	10	Actors
58	George Clooney	19	83	14	12	24	53	Actors
59	Stephenie Meyer	40	48	85	59	32	87	Authors
60	Cameron Diaz	32	59	61	54	36	79	Actresses
61	Serena Williams	20	76	18	8	57	32	Athletes
62	Rascal Flatts	45	38	69	90	90	42	Musicians
63	Charlie Sheen	30	62	29	70	55	70	Television actors
64	Derek Jeter	30	62	36	34	79	67	Athletes
65	Lance Armstrong	20	76	33	7	62	12	Athletes
66	Kristen Stewart	12	92	62	53	9	69	Teen stars
67	Toby Keith	48	32	81	93	95	99	Musicians
68	Sean (Diddy) Combs	30	62	63	75	30	56	Hip-hop impresario
69	Stephen King	34	57	82	63	40	51	Authors
70	Sarah Jessica Parker	25	68	55	55	56	71	Actresses
71	Leonardo DiCaprio	28	65	67	42	48	58	Actors
72	Judge Judy Sheindlin	45	38	77	96	100	80	Personalities
73	Robert Downey Jr	22	73	60	39	45	85	Actors
74	Lil Wayne	20	76	76	67	13	6	Hip-hop impresario
75	Reese Witherspoon	32	59	79	82	61	61	Actresses
76	Keith Urban	27.5	66	50	73	78	50	Musicians
77	Julia Roberts	20	76	58	49	37	72	Actresses
78	Steve Carell	34	57	78	72	84	54	Television actors
79	Meryl Streep	13	91	30	23	43	59	Actresses
80	Akon	21	75	92	77	27	16	Hip-hop impresario
81	Maria Sharapova	25	68	87	43	80	29	Athletes
82	Daniel Radcliffe	25	68	90	66	58	86	Teen stars
83	Venus Williams	15.5	88	39	17	81	38	Athletes
84	Ray Romano	35	54	82	91	99	98	Television actors
85	Gisele Bundchen	25	68	93	94	69	55	Models
86	Heidi Klum	16	87	74	69	51	49	Models
87	Drew Barrymore	15	90	73	64	52	44	Actresses
88	Alec Baldwin	8.5	98	37	48	54	93	Television actors
89	Kiefer Sutherland	20	76	80	86	76	92	Television actors
90	Tina Fey	7.5	99	46	60	74	66	Television actresses
91	Kate Moss	9	97	89	51	34	63	Models
92	Eva Longoria Parker	12	92	65	79	65	47	Television actresses
93	Jeff Dunham	22.5	72	99	98	96	25	Comedians
94	George Lopez	18	85	68	87	87	35	Comedians
95	Katherine Heigl	15.5	88	75	78	71	96	Television actresses
96	Danica Patrick	12	92	44	65	85	95	Athletes
97	Kate Hudson	11	95	58	85	53	99	Actresses
98	Chelsea Handler	19	83	84	97	92	17	Comedians
99	Jennifer Love Hewitt	6.5	100	96	95	72	88	Television actresses
100	Mariska Hargitay	9.5	96	100	99	98	91	Television actresses