Oprah Named Most Powerful Woman, Jolie Highest Paid

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — When the going gets tough, the most powerful woman in Hollywood turns to macaroni and cheese.

Oprah Winfrey, who tops The Hollywood Reporter's annual ranking of the most influential women in entertainment, confessed Friday during a question-and-answer session with Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Guider that the comfort food has been her "cure" for failure. Winfrey was among scores of female power brokers who celebrated each other at a private breakfast reception at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The media mogul's key to success? "Finding out how to be more of who you are and using that to be of service to something greater than yourself."

The chairwoman of Harpo Inc. tops the trade paper's 17th annual Power 100 list "based on her dizzying array of Oprah-branded media and her immense cultural influence," Guider said.

Honorees are chosen by a panel of reporters and editors who consider each woman's corporate position, control of purse strings and power to greenlight content.

During the same Q-&-A session, Disney's co-chairwoman, Anne Sweeney, who was second on the list, said she uses chocolate as a salve, while No. 3, Sony Chairwoman Amy Pascal, opts to hide under the covers when failure strikes. The list was published Friday.

"As No. 1, I say (the list) is a fabulous idea," Winfrey quipped. "It's fun and a way to acknowledge the work in a way that allows us all to respect each other."

Glenn Close was also honored at Friday's event. The 61-year-old actress received the trade paper's Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, which recognizes women's pioneering achievements in entertainment. As she presented her namesake award, former Paramount chief Lansing revealed that she initially refused to cast Close in 1987's "Fatal Attraction," which earned the actress an Oscar nomination and remains one of her career-defining roles.

Story continues below

advertisement

Lansing called Close "a gutsy broad," lauding her for her talent, her dedication to her craft and for "opening the door for other women over 40." Past recipients of the award include Lansing, Meryl Streep, Barbara Walters and Jodie Foster.

"I don't feel wise or particularly insightful," Close said. "If anything, I feel more aware of the fragility of it all."

The actress choked up as she left the stage, calling her career and the Lansing honor "an embarrassment of riches."

Speaking of riches, The Hollywood Reporter also released its annual ranking of the industry's highest-paid actresses Friday. No. 1 this year is Angelina Jolie, who gets $15 million to $20 million per movie. Julia Roberts, at $15 million a film, came in second, followed by last year's top earner, Reese Witherspoon.

___

On the Net:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

Comments

[SlippingInTheDip]

Aren't we the lucky ones......another day of Angie Jolie...nothing new, of course, but at least we get to see her again.

[SlippingInTheDip]

Well...she finally learned--as most of us knew all the time--that fake boobs and big lips don't make you an actress. "Changeling" is just 1 example. It takes depth, something Angie is lacking in.

[broody]

Angelina looks great.
Check out some of her photo albums:

http://celeb9.com/celeb/Angelina_Jolie/photo_album/list

[marymansour]

Thanks but no thanks!

[SOLERSO68]

so whats new for women here? Oprah is powerful because she assumed the role of a kind of pop culture. public matriarch, jolie is paid for her body (sorry if she didnt look like she does we wouldnt know her name).

[ladyrefined2000]

isnt she getting a long in the tooth?

[swift goat pet for truth]

Both get paid because people like you pay attention.

Me - I like what they do with their money.

[konnie1]

Forbes said she only earned 14 mil in 2008 so where is the 15 mil coming from? Also do some research and you'll find that Wanted was made in 2007 not 2008. She made Wanted right before Changeling and Changeling was started in Oct of 07 so Wanted was either spring or summer of 08

[MaggieDoe]

Angelina was paid $15 million for "Wanted" in 2007. She was paid $4 million (and probably a percentage of profits) for "Kung Fu Panda" in 2007. She was paid $15 million dollars for "Changeling" in 2007. She hasn't worked in a year so any income she has had in 2008 would be from interest on investments and savings.

Actors are paid when they work unless it is a back end deal. If Angie had a back end deal on KFP no one had released any numbers and it is a little early for her payday given the film came out in June '08. Forbes, as usual, is living in la-la land and their "facts" are highly suspect.

[AngryAmish]

You can rest assured that "Angie" had a back end deal on "KFP." "Angie" prefers to take a big one in the back end.

[toocoldout]

Forbes is the gold standard when it comes to wealth valuations.

[sjones66]

Not sure what you mean by this, but she would be paid up front as well as points/residuals. The 14 million in 2008 could easily be residuals from all of her movies.

[konnie1]

Ughhh well acording to Forbes Mag Angelina only made 14 mil for 2008 so ???? Also Wanted was shot in 2007 (Summer of 2007 if i remeber correctly cause she shot Changeling in Oct 07) so how is that she's the hightested paid actress 08????

[SlippingInTheDip]

Angie Jolie gave Clint Eastwood a "HUMMER" and he gave he the lead in "CHANGELING". Looks like they both lost lost on that deal.

[woodcut]

Oprah was OK, then her ego grew too big.
She very often says, about a topic, "I get it. Do you get it? I do."
Demeaning and arrogant at the same time.

[Sylmason]

Come back after you've earned your first BILLION..................................... I'd like to check your ego and arrogance, stupid.

[Imzadi]

My two least favorite attention wh0res. Double shudder

[lioness39]

B, A and the cheeto six. Aren't they fun?

[AngryAmish]

I am going to have to have a little talk with you and Happycat about your fondness for insulting my favorite snack food. What have Cheetos ever done to you, besides bathing your tounge, throat, belly, and fingers with salty orange deliciousness? Hater gator!!!! Cramming those Katzenjammer kids full of Cheetos is the only evidence of good parenting I've seen from Brangelina.

[anghiari]

Forgot to include yourself?

[mergina]

Most powerful huh? Well do you think you can put a little pressure on Daley to STOP BLEEDING CHICAGOANS DRY with the highest living expenses and taxes in the land by threatening to take your show to oh, say washington d.c.?

[leatherbunny]

Ms. Angelina Jolie happens to be my most favorite actress of all time, just because I drool over her partner doesn't mean I discount what the couple share. Yes I drool over her equally but that is because I am confused about my sexual orientation. LOL. Besides she already has her own team, and someone out here should really be rooting for Brad. To be called a cheat, is just wrong!

[SlippingInTheDip]

This story about Angie Jolie's salary is not true. Day before yesterday, Forbe's reported Jolie-Pitt combined salary for the year 2008 was $ 37,000,000. Her movies for the year were, "Changeling" which tanked, "Wanted", in which she was third line, and that "Kung Fu Panda", overvoice. Brad Pitt's only movie in 2008 was "Burn after Reading", which tanked the first week.

Snce she was to be the "STAR", (I use the word loosley) Eastwood may have offered her $17,000,000, --there are a lot of if's in that offer--but no way she wiill recieve that since the movie failed.

[anghiari]

Get a grip Dip...almost every movie that came out this year made less than expected...doesn't mean its a monetary failure...most make their money back in European release...so Eastwood probably made her salary and more back...as for Wanted...a huge success in Europe, Asia...none of her movies failed if you look at worldwide revenues...which everybody is having to do this year. Few movies were howling successes...the movie viewer is so diverse...

[AngryAmish]

"Get a grip[,] Dip. . ."! Nice one. My pretty little poet.

[sjones66]

They can't offer 17 million and not pay because the movie doesn't recoup costs and please, don't give the AMPTP any ideas.

She makes more money if and when the movie is successful, based on the point structure of her deal.

[chicamorena]

LOL! The League of Scorned Women is out in force tonight. What's the matter, ladies, does Jolie remind you of the women you all got dumped for?

[claptrapa]

Not all of this gathering are women, scorned or otherwise.

[macohmz]

I would like to hold her hand.

[AngryAmish]

Of course Jolie's on top. She's married to the biggest bottom in Hollywood.

Oops. Did I say "married"? Pardon my French.

[lioness39]

vous êtes excusé, mon chere.

[AngryAmish]

You and I went to the same finishing school, the one that taught you to excuse yourself after belching & to keep your hands off other people's cutlery and spouses. Them were the days, Lioness!