Julia Roberts has broken through Hollywood’s glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to reach the top spot as Hollywood’s most bankable star, tying with traditional heavyweights Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks in an industry poll.
According to a poll by local newspaper The Hollywood Reporter, Julia has upped her ante to $20 million per movie since scooping an Oscar for her title role in the Steven Soderbergh film Erin Brockovich. Last time the newspaper did a similar poll in 1999, she was at number eight, which just goes to show that having a little gold statue on your mantelpiece goes a long way to improving your bank balance.
Julia is the only woman among the top ten stars on what the newspaper calls its “Star Power” survey, the results of which are officially published on Tuesday. Several other female stars, including Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz and Nicole Kidman, ranked high on the list, with ratings in the “Strong Star Power” category – as opposed to Julia’s “Maximum Star Power” rating.
“Certainly at the upper levels, you are seeing some strides being made for women,” says John Burman, editor of The Hollywood Reporter’s International Edition. “We are pointing in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go.”
Of the top 20 finishers in this year’s poll, 12 have been nominated for an Academy Award as an actor. Certainly Nicole, who is hotly tipped for her role in Moulin Rouge, could see her “Star Power” rating going up a notch or two after the nominations are announced on February 12. Russell Crowe, who came from nowhere to the big number seven after his Gladiator Oscar, could also be laughing all the way to the bank for his Oscar-tipped role in
The poll scored 1,000 actors on their “bankability” out of a top score of 100. Julia and Messrs Tom and Tom all reached the magic mark. Next came Mel Gibson with 98.68, Jim Carrey at 98.46, and George Clooney at 95.18.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
