Prime time's 10 top-earning women
Lacey Rose
In an era of ad-skipping and Web-surfing, prime-time audiences of 25
million and the 'Friends'-style paydays that come with them are largely
a memory of television past.
Add today's tight advertising budgets and it's no wonder network
executives continue to take a hard line on star salaries. Rather than
pay a lead as much as $200,000 per episode, as networks have freely done
in seasons past, even acclaimed film stars are lucky to walk away with
$125,000 to star in a new series today. Plenty of established shows,
too, are being hit by cost-cutting measures, be it shortening a show's
season or freezing its stars' salaries.
Ellen DeGeneres |
To compensate, many of the genre's leading ladies are parlaying their
small-screen appeal into other ventures (and revenue streams). In
addition to popular prime-time network shows, several, including Eva
Longoria Parker (No. 4), Tina Fey (No. 7) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (No.
10), have bolstered their résumés with everything from film roles,
record companies and production projects to perfumes, books and
endorsement deals.
In fact, these side projects have helped the stars on our list of
Prime Time's Top-Earning Women collectively rake in an estimated $162
million between June 1, 2009, and June 1, 2010. Earnings are calculated
before taxes, management fees and other costs; voice-only actresses were
omitted from the list.
Topping the list is Ellen DeGeneres, who banked an estimated $55
million in the 12-month period by becoming as much brand as she is TV
star. Though her stint in prime time as a judge on American Idol was
brief, she remains a ratings magnet earlier in the day as host of her
popular gabfest, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Growing her presence - and
pocketbook - still more, she has lent her face to ad campaigns for
American Express, CoverGirl and newer entry Vitamin Water. More
recently, she announced she was launching her own record label,
eleveneleven, and promptly signed 12-year-old YouTube sensation Greyson
Chance as her first artist.
Tyra Banks |
At No. 2 on our list is Tyra Banks, who earned an estimated $25
million over the course of the year. Though the host, producer and
Bankable chairwoman wrapped her daytime series this spring, she'll
continue to produce and host her prime-time creation, America's Next Top
Model, which has built a loyal following among younger females around
the world. Off-camera, the former model serves as a producer on ABC's
True Beauty and will soon roll out her first of many books, called
Modelland.
Rounding out the top three is former "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine
Heigl, who raked in an estimated $15.5 million during the same period.
Though the famously outspoken actress has garnered critics for her
controversial comments, she remains a big draw - and, as a result, a big
earner - on-screen. In fact, thanks to a string of box-office successes
like Knocked Up and 27 Dresses, Heigl commands a cool $12 million per
film, placing her among the best-paid ladies in Hollywood. (Her more
recent star turn opposite Ashton Kutcher in the critically panned
Killers proved a dud.) Up next: Life As We Know It, where she and
co-star Josh Duhamel become caregivers to an orphaned girl when their
mutual best friends die in an accident.
Still others on our list of the genre's top-earners, including Marg
Helgenberger of CSI and Ellen Pompeo of Grey's Anatomy, rely solely on
TV income. PARADE.com
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