JK Rowling's status as the Queen of Tinseltown has been confirmed after she was voted the most powerful woman in Hollywood.
The creator of the Harry Potter series took fifth place in the movie industry power list, behind Jerry Bruckheimer, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. And she beat off the challenge of show business' other leading ladies, including Oprah Winfrey, who was sixth, and Nicole Kidman at number ten.
JK's influence stems from the fact that she has maintained control over the Harry Potter films as well as the books. Normally writers don't get much say in the film-making process, but the best-selling author managed to keep a tight grip on the Potter productions. Insiders say studio bosses think she has a Midas touch, and trust her to make important decisions.
The release of her last book, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, broke sales records on both sides of the Atlantic when it was published earlier this year. And the latest film in the series, Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, is nearing completion with Emma Thompson and Gary Oldman joining the rest of the crew at Hogwarts.
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