The Hollywood Reporter has released its annual list of the world’s highest-paid actresses, and not surprisingly, Julia Roberts leads the pack, commanding $20 million a film. She’s followed by Nicole Kidman (left), Reese Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore, Renée Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Jodie Foster, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Aniston.
My question for today is this: Which of these actresses represents the best (and worst) value in terms of quality filmmaking? If you’re willing to forgive Bewitched and The Stepford Wives (and I know that’s asking an awful lot), I’d argue Kidman’s had the best track record since 2000, thanks to The Others, The Hours, The Interpreter, and Moulin Rouge. And worst value? That’d have to go to Jolie. Admittedly, I’d pay to watch her read the phone book, but then again, that’d be preferable to sitting through the abysmal Taking Lives, Original Sin, or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. As for Theron, if she wants to retain her ranking, she’ll have to survive Friday’s opening of Aeon Flux, which apparently isn’t being screened for critics. (Uh-oh.) Okay, now it’s your turn to argue which of the above actresses most (and least) deserves her hefty paycheck.
Ready, set, debate!
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The others do not hold a candle to Nicole Kidman.
Jodie Foster deserves to be in the $20 million club.
I love Nicole Kidman’s movies/roles! I try to watch or rent any movie she’s in…more so than Julia Roberts. I agree that no one holds a candle to Nicole Kidman except for Renne Zellweger…I love her too…’Cold Mountain’ (great movie) was two for the price of one!
Nichole Kidman is an incredible actress. That said, Bewitched and The Stepford Wives were the two most disappointing movies of the the last two summers. She should stick to drama. Theron is wonderful in anything she is in, but she chooses roles that are great in movies that are average. Zellweger suffers from the same problem that Roberts does. She is more herself than her characters. Only in the original Bridget Jones did she transcend being Renee Zellwegger. The actress who does the most consistently great work in the best movies would have to be Kate Winslet. Unfortunatley she does not get paid like the actresses on this list.
Why does Drew Barrymore get paid that much. She has never been able to carry a film on her own. Everyone else in the list, pretty much gets what they are worth. Still, actors making that much money and teachers making poverty income, it just doesn’t seem right.
After “Walk the Line,” I can see why Reese Witherspoon deserves to be at the top. I just wonder if she’ll take on a few more really good roles before returning to something like “Legally Blonde” again…
Frankly I don’t know why Julia keeps getting roles. Every charachter she’s played is only minutely different than the last, with only a couple of exceptions. Yeah, Yeah, everyone loves to see you gum for the camera, but a little skill in your acting would be nice. $20 mill for playing another lovelorn woman seems like way too much.
No one is as good as Nicole Kidman. To me, Julia plays herself in every movie.
I agree with brandon, Kate Winslet is definitely one of the most consistently great actresses in consistently great work that I have seen. Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger would be next on my list.
I don’t believe that Julia Roberts (or Cameron Diaz) has ever really been worth the price of the popcorn (or sometimes, just), and have found it amazing that Julia’s consistently been at the top of this list. My list of faves also includes the incredible Kate Winslet, who is one of the best actresses out there right now; Nicole Kidman; and Reese Witherspoon in the serious stuff (please no more “Blonde”s!!). And I actually really like Angelina Jolie, too. While I’ve appreciated some movies out of all these ladies’ catalogs, I cringe at thinking that my $10 movie ticket goes to their huge salaries.
The one to watch is little Dakota Fanning, she also has a younger sibling that is coming to her owm. She just makes the other actors around her so much better.
Nicole Kidman is hands down the best actress on that list, and Kate Winslet should be a close second. And even though I couldn’t stand her performance in “Bridget Jones’s Diary” — which is a fun movie, but no where near as good as the book itself — I have to begrudgingly admit that Renee Zellweger is a good actress. Julia Roberts (who, in my opinion, tried to prove her dramatic range in “Closer” but failed miserably) and Drew Barrymore are really nothing more than box office draws without a lot of acting… but Barrymore’s films are my guilty pleasures. (I love “50 First Dates”)
This list alone just shows moviegoers can’t recognize good acting or excellent movies.
For pure talent alone it should have been;
Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore, Renee Zellweger, and my all time fave Cate Blanchett!
The only person on that list that deserves the money is Nicole Kidman. Kate Winslet doesn’t get paid as much because she’s British and hasn’t made that cross-over yet, and all of her movies are driven by the male actors (titanic = leo, the one about her losing her memory = jim carrey, finding neverland = depp), the movies that she is in aren’t promoted as HER movies. She’s been nominated for Oscars more than any of the other actresses on the list, yet again she deserves to have one more than anyone else. With Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz people confuse likeable with talent. I’ve never payed $10 to see their movies, and never will.
Jodie Foster has always been one of my favorite actresses because she knows how to choose her roles, and doesn’t allow her personal life interfere with her work, something that can’t be said about Jolie. I mean, does anyone know anything about Jodie? I dont, and I dont want to, I like the mystery.
And I feel like WHATEVER when it comes to everyone else on the list. Jodie Foster and Nicole Kidman are #1 in my list!
Nicole Kidman is easily the most overpaid/overrated actresses. No one goes to see a “Nicole Kidman” flick. She simply does not open movies. If it is a money discussion, paychecks should be based on how much money they generate and not their acting ability. If it were, Jim Carrey and Tom Cruise would not make more than Robert Downey Jr. A majority of Kidman’s films can be justifiably considered bombs at the box office; Bewitched, Birth, Stepford Wives, Human Stain, The Hours, Birthday Girl, Practical Magic. She hasn’t carried a succesful film since The Others and her Oscar came on a film no one saw (The Hours.) Now I am not asking her to take crap roles in pop films (like Jolie in Tomb Raider), I just don’t believe that she is worth $20 million.
I love Nicole. Some of her movies are bombs, but their failure have less to do with her than the script. Everytime she does a stinker (Stepford Wives), she turns in a powerful performance (The Interpreter). Years ago Christina Ricci was asked whose career she would like to emulate, and she said Nicole Kidman because Kidman could do big box office films but also do smaller, more challenging films. I totally agree. She’s versatile, talented and takes risks (“Birth”).
I have to admit that I like or love most of the actresses on the list, but NONE of them — in the grand scheme of things — are worth the millions they earn.
No one is worth this kind of money for something as trivial as acting. Lower ticket prices by 90% and cut their pay by 99%.
Am I the only one freaked out by this picture of Nicole Kidman? She looks like she couldn’t blink if she tried. Her eyebrows are practically at a 90 degree angle to her face.
Nicole Kidman (The Hours), Kate Winslet (everything she’s ever done), Cate Blanchett (The Aviator), Julianne Moore (The Hours), Laura Linney (Love, Actually) are just a few great actresses. But I’m of the opinion that they are just holding down a job, like teachers and waitresses and nurses, and shouldn’t be paid any more than the listed professions. Honestly, I’d rather a nurse who just delivered a baby or a teacher who just delivered a child from ignorance receive $20 Million than an actress with a more-than-limited repertoire of emotions.
I too think that most of these women are horribly over-paid when you compare what they do to nurses and teachers – and the same can be said of professional athletes. However, there are companies making HUGE amounts of money off of actors and athletes, so I do think that they deserve a piece of it. Julia is one of my favorite actresses and 3 of her films are on my top 10 guilty pleasures list, so I think she deserves what she makes. I actually loved her in “Closer” and she was the reason I paid to see that film in a theatre. Actually, I have paid to see movies by all of the actresses on this list and think they are all good in their own way and they all bring in audiences for different reasons. Angelina and Nicole are two of my favs and I love Jodie Foster.
Nicole Kidman manages fantastic dramatic performances while still maintaining an ability as a comedic actress. As for the poster who says that “no one goes to see a Nicole Kidman film”, I know plenty of people that do. Moreover, simply because a movie was not a box office draw does not make it a “bad” movie. The Hours was a fantastic film and every actor/actress who had a role was amazing. Simply because you, and a number of others, did not see the film, does not make it any less worthy of praise.
I cannot stand Nicole Kidman. I think Reese Witherspoon deserves her paycheck.
Where is Kate Winslet? She is an Oscar caliber performer and starred in one of the biggest movies of all time – I’m surprised she is not in with this crowd.
Jennifer Anniston? If she is getting that much money than she owes me $10. That is what I paid to see “Derailed” or as I like to call it “De-crappy”.
Renee Zellweger stands out as an actress with great skill and versatility; Nicole aggravates me — all the info I know about her personal life distracts me from her performances. Julia is/can be likable, but very boring! Gwenyth Paltrow – not on the list – is another outstanding actress worth of mention. I’d personally like to see more parts go to fresher – if less experienced – faces: Rachel McAdams, Bridget Moynahan come to mind…anyone but the same five overpaid actresses over and over again!
I don’t know why you guys keep bringing up teachers’ salaries? Most teachers sit on their ass and “daycare” kids until the last bell rings. At least actresses are constantly under stress of not pulling in enough box office revenues or gaining weight. C’mon, step off your PC pedistools and get real.
Yes, celebs and athletes are paid ridiculous amounts of money but it is relateable to the amount he/she pulls in. A movie/sports team pulls in millions of dollars for the owners and that is why the actors/players make this kind of money…its simple math. Is it fair? Of course not. So, really, if you all want celebs and athletes to make less money then STOP PAYING THEIR SALARIES!!! Stop going to movies, buying dvds, watching tv shows, buying cds/video games and going to sports games/events. Take all of this money that you would usually pour into the sports/entertainment industry and start giving it all to hospitals, schools and restaurants. OK?
Nicole can be great, but the roles must suit her (uptight, cold), Julia can be fun, but again there are limits… Kate Winslett, Cate Blanchet, Laura Linney in particular, can do it all… Reese has yet to prove her mettle, and Jolie is a joke.
I’m really glad Reese Witherspoon is finally making big money with the big girls. I’ve always enjoyed her movies, and it seems like the rest of the world (or at least Hollywood) didn’t take notice until just a few years ago. But the girl can act, and she picks great projects (Election!).
I agree that Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchet should be on the list (and thus higher paid), but they’re both British, and not super huge A-List starts in the US. But just for acting chops, I think both of these ladies can carry an amazing movie (with or without the help of a male lead).
But I guess in the end it comes down to box office draw. Even if Julia Roberts always plays herself, and Nicole Kidman picks horrible projects, and Jodie Foster does a movie around once a decade, they make a movie make money, which makes them worth money.
I’ll only think Nicole Kidman deserves that much money when she goes back to being a redhead. My list of MVAs (most valuable actresses): Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Susan Sarandon, Renee Zellwegger, Reese Witherspoon, Salma Hayak and Charlize Theron (although I hate it when a talented actress goes from winning an Oscar to playing a comic book character).
I’m really glad Reese Witherspoon is finally making big money with the big girls. I’ve always enjoyed her movies, and it seems like the rest of the world (or at least Hollywood) didn’t take notice until just a few years ago. But the girl can act, and she picks great projects (Election!).
I agree that Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchet should be on the list (and thus higher paid), but they’re both British, and not super huge A-List starts in the US. But just for acting chops, I think both of these ladies can carry an amazing movie (with or without the help of a male lead).
But I guess in the end it comes down to box office draw. Even if Julia Roberts always plays herself, and Nicole Kidman picks horrible projects, and Jodie Foster does a movie around once a decade, they make a movie make money, which makes them worth money.