Angelina Jolie Named World's Most Powerful Celebrity By Forbes

NEW YORK — Angelina Jolie has dethroned Oprah Winfrey as the world's most powerful celebrity, according to Forbes.

The actress grabbed the No. 1 spot from the talk show queen on the magazine's annual Celebrity 100 list, which ranks the rich and famous based on media exposure and career earnings over the past year.

Jolie, a reigning tabloid fixture, earned $27 million, bumping her up from third place on last year's list, Forbes said, adding that she wields more power due to high-profile turns in hit films such as "Wanted" and "Kung Fu Panda."

At No. 2, Winfrey is still the highest earner _ $275 million.

Madonna came in third, trailed by Beyonce, Tiger Woods, Bruce Springsteen and Steven Spielberg.

Two other celebs tied up in Jolie's tabloid universe _ Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt _ came in at eighth and ninth place, respectively.

Tenth place goes to Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, thanks in part to endorsement deals scored after the Beijing Olympics.

About halfway down the list sits a very familiar face: President Barack Obama. At No. 49, Obama's the first sitting head of state to appear on this Forbes fixture because of his worldwide fame, his historic election and his career as a best-selling author.

Newcomers to the list: Alec Baldwin (No. 91); Meryl Streep (No. 64); Toby Keith (No. 59); Rascal Flatts (No. 42); TV host Glenn Beck (No. 81); and teen singing superstar Taylor Swift (No. 69).

Although he's one of the biggest acts in entertainment, Justin Timberlake went from 12th to falling off the list completely, since ending his lucrative "FutureSex/LoveShow" concert tour.

Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp and Tyra Banks also dropped off the list.

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On the Net:

http://www.forbes.com/

Comments

[TheyCalledMeSandN]

who makes this up. so random.

[Pippen]

I've followed Angelina since she was in her first cinema movie and knew then she was mesmerizing. I knew she would be wonderfully enigmatic. Her depth of acting looked effortless and not a thread of distinction between herself and the portrayal. Simply flawless work at such a young age is rarely seen. I felt like I had found a rare gem in a cheap garage sale. Then of course her rise to super stardom eventually began. And I had to share her with the world. But I still remain a loyal fan and pleased that she has retained her mothers spirit and outlook on life even through challenging adversity.

Now that she's using her power to influence the world in such a positive direction, how can anyone not be in awe of her values and character.

Of course the tabloids want to paint her and dumb her down for the Jerry Springer readers to sell ad space but she even uses that to spring board her efforts.

Forbes: Madonna is a powerful person,... Beyonce ? uhm no. And not even on the same level.

Viva La Angelina !!

[jaslyn]

These lists are really inane. Why does everything have to be rated, listed, analyzed and defined??? And what kind of derailed culture is interested in this nonsense? Let´s get interested in our own lives and stop trying to be part of theirs.

[Ivatsol]

That's like saying Joe Jonas dethroned Obama as most powerful statesman. Bizarro!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!

[Theda]

I just read the Newsweek cover story about Oprah. It's amazing.....despite the constant appearance of mystics, oracles, nutjobs and other "experts" on her show----NONE of them have been able to make Oprah lose weight and keep it off!

[ItHadToBeSaid]

. . . says the Tw!g.gy wannabe . . .

Even with her additional pounds, Oprah can inspire and influence MILLIONS to read, give to charity, and get off their bottoms to try and live better lives. C0mm0n sense, would tell even you that you don't have to be a rail-thin, an0rexic waif to bring about a positive change in the world. Perhaps you're waiting for Y0UR mys.tics, 0racles, and nutj0bs to come and tell YOU the same thing.

[Sami]

Very good point.

[MyGuyO]

I also find this hard to believe.
At present, Miss Jolie happens to very popular in entertainment field, but can't hold a candle to Oprah .

[Sami]

What does Oprah do, except give away products that were donated by her sponsors, talk about books in her little book club that only the soccer moms buy, and fund elite schools for the rich in Africa? How is Oprah 'influential'? How did she even get on the list in the first place, unless its just because of how much money she has (which doesn't automatically translate into 'influence')? Angelina has has been a UN Ambassador and a refugee advocate for a decade. I would say that would be much, much more influential than pushing books, lipstick and diets.

[Yamunation]

I find this hard to believe. Jolie might be the most famous, but Oprah is more powerful. People stopped eating beef just because Oprah said she had stopped. If Oprah says "buy a book" people blindly buy that book.

I don't think if Angelina Jolie told people to stop eating something, or stop wearing something, that anyone would bother to listen. She has no power over people.

[standish]

The tatooed lady may be the most popular figure on the circus midway, but she's still the tatooed lady sideshow attraction. A million dollars worh of borrowed emeralds and a $20,000 designer gown covering up a lot of tacky black ink on the red carpet doesn't automatically confer on its owner glamour and sophisticaion, two words that have no business being anywhere near this woman. Brad Pitt ain't no Cary Grant and she certainly ain't no Audrey Hepburn.

[epiphany1234]

Have you ever heard the expression don't read a book by its cover?

How shallow and superficial you are. I'd rather spend a second with Jolie's toenail than a
week in your company.

[Sami]

Right on!

[nippyfan]

Pahlease!!

[epiphany1234]

Oh yes......and there IS room in this world for both Oprah and Angelina, in my humble opinion.

[epiphany1234]

....that people do wild and stupid things.....

[epiphany1234]

My guess is Angelina Jolie couldn't care less about Forbes' title. She doesn't strike me as someone who pursues such things. She is apparently a committed individual who has certain moral principals she supports with her actions and her dollars. She's said to donate a full third of her income to philanthropic causes. She does not clamor to get in the media....she travels and performs her diplomatic deeds without fanfare.....she donates time and money. Her lack of fanfare to me denotes authenticity. I read with some bemusement the vicious slams made against her from people who don't know her and apparently lack the intellectual heft to grasp that sometimes people wild and stupid things in their youth.....then they grow up. She's clearly found grounding in her family and her causes.....and that's enough for me. (PS, if the Pitt-Aniston thing could have lasted, it WOULD have.)

[Rep/Dem both suck]

c'mon Oprah's the most powerful citizen outside government she practically elected the president, not that much of stretch when you look how well Obama did after recieving Oprah's blessing vs. before hand. Then there was the KFC ficaso just a couple weeks back. This is like when Malone got the MVP when the NBA decided they just couldn't keep giving the award to Jordan.

[toocoldout]

It's been statistically proven that had Oprah not endorsed he would have lost the Dem primary by about a million votes. Not only that but she campaigned for him in all important Iowa which got the ball rolling. That's why Forbes had Oprah #1 in 2007 and 2008.

[Sami]

Bullsh$t! Oprah had no more influence over Obama winning than anyone else. Do you really think some midday tv show host is going to have that much influence over anything? Please!

[lil11]

Forbes criteria for rating the most powerful celebrity has just lost some of it fiz. Angelina over Oprah? Nah.

Angelina is too much of a tabloid fixture to have her media hits rate her as a serious kind of power. The type of media she gets is not good quality at all.

Forbes, now when I see your power list, I will have to take it with a grain of salt. Almost the way I look at your putting Angelina in the power spot over Oprah. Not even in the same class.
Unless its me in a favorable situation of course.

[lil11]

make that:
Forbes criteria for rating the most powerful celebrity has just lost some of its fiz.
Angelina over Oprah? Nah.

[lil11]

No offense intended.

[GothamChic]

Sorry Forbes, I'm not buying THAT story. Angie Jolie, more powerful than Oprah? In what way?

[Sheila Williams]

I would like to see Forbes and Angelina get people to buy books and anything else they would have on their show the way Oprah does. Who ever decided this at Forbes need to lose their job because their clearly don't know that they are talking about.Angelina may be able to get magazines that she is on to sell more, but she clearly can't get the masses of people to buy a book that someone else wrote just because she read it and says it a good book like Oprah can.