What does
Kirsten Dunst, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Reese
Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, and Halle
Berry have in common aside from stunning faces and captivating bodies?
Well, money. And a heck lot of it. They are the most expensive women in
Hollywood according to the THE HOLLYWOOD FILE of Maximillien de
Lafayette. Find out why these women are one billion dollar worth.
1. Kirsten Dunst. Age: 22. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Though ''Spider-Man'''s teen dream Mary Jane is a veteran actress with three dozen movies on her résumé, starring in the biggest hit of 2002 gave Dunst extra cred. That upside-down kiss is now seared into the brainpans of moviegoers and Sony executives, who upped her price for the sequel to a reported $8 million.
2. Jennifer Lopez. Age: 34. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Multitalented J. Lo has a knack for releasing hit albums and hit movies at the same time, as she's done most recently with her CD ''This Is Me...Then'' and her current movie ''Maid in Manhattan,'' her biggest hit yet, grossing $78 million and counting. She's been the highest-paid Latina actress since her $1 million payday for 1997's ''Selena''; she now commands a reported $12 million per picture. Plus, fascination with her marital status is on an Elizabeth Taylor level, which should help her next two releases, both of which costar fiancé Ben Affleck.
3.
Cameron Diaz. Age: 32. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Along with
her ''My Best Friend's Wedding'' costar Julia Roberts, Diaz is the only
other member of the $20 million actress club, reportedly earning that
sum for this summer's ''Charlie's Angels'' sequel. Even better, she
reportedly scored $10 million for a week of voice work as Princess Fiona
in next year's ''Shrek 2.'' She's unflappably charming, whether wearing
Ben Stiller's ''hair gel'' in ''There's Something About Mary'' or
picking pockets as a grubby thief in ''Gangs of New York,'' which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Maybe she can pocket an Oscar, too.
3. Drew Barrymore. Age: 27. WHY SHE'S A-LIST? Since 1998's hit ''Ever After,'' she's been the queen of girl-power movies, setting an example both as a star and as a producer with 1999's ''Never Been Kissed'' and 2000's ''Charlie's Angels.'' As a driving force behind ''Angels,'' she was rewarded with a $125 million gross and a bump in her salary to a reported $15 million. In addition to the recently wrapped sequel, for which she lured Demi Moore out of retirement, she's also hoping to revamp another cheesecake-action classic this year, ''Barbarella.'' Meantime, the Flower Films chief is charming viewers as the flower-child love of Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell, whom she helped put on the map in ''Charlie's .
4. Reese Witherspoon. Age: 26. WHY SHE'S A One Billion Dollar Woman? After turning 2001's ''Legally Blonde'' into a sleeper hit, Witherspoon proved her bankability last fall with the $125 million gross of ''Sweet Home Alabama.'' Her salary jumped accordingly, from a reported $1 million for ''Legally Blonde'' to $15 million for its '03 sequel. Plus, she retains indie and critical cred from her role as high school overachiever Tracy Flick in 1999's ''Election.'' No wonder that, for Entertainment Weekly's 2001 If We Ran Hollywood issue, the magazine put her on the cover with the headline ''Why We'd Hire Reese Witherspoon for Everything.'' #3. Renee Zellweger. Age: 33. WHY SHE'S A One Billion Dollar Woman? She earned an Oscar nomination last year when she pulled a De Niro/Streep-style makeover, playing the titular tubby Brit in ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' (and she drove the film to a $71 million U.S. gross, to boot). Now, she's proving she can sing and dance as well in ''Chicago,'' where her murderous vamp may well earn her another chance at Oscar. Though it's been awhile since she won over audiences in ''Jerry Maguire,'' is showing Zellweger the money to the tune of a reported $10 million per picture.
5. Nicole Kidman. Age: 37. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? She is one of the most intelligent actresses in the business. In addition to her unsurpassed talent, Nicole Kidman is a woman with depth and human substance. Multitalented and Hollywood multifaceted, Nicole Kidman can play any role from the sexiest to the most melodramatic. It all started in 2001, when Kidman proved her versatility with the one-two punch of ''Moulin Rouge'' (helping to save the movie musical from extinction) and cerebral horror hit ''The Others'' (which grossed $96 million). As a result, she earned herself a raise to the $12 million-$15 million territory and became EW's Entertainer of the Year. Currently, she's wowing critics and earning strong Oscar buzz for disappearing completely into the role of Virginia Woolf in ''The Hours.''
6. Julia Roberts. Age: 37. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? The first female member of Hollywood's $20 million club, she has remained the town's highest-paid actress for years, having starred in more $100 million movies (seven) than any other actress. In 2000, she proved she was more than just another pretty woman with her ''Erin Brockovich'' Oscar. Recently, she shifted gears again, earning raves as a sexy spy in ''Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.'' She's also moved into film and TV production (her 1998 movie ''Stepmom,'' CBS' new series ''Queens Supreme''). Plus, she's a newlywed. No wonder she loves her life. Many critics believe that Julia Roberts has more luck than talent. Meaning when you watch her on the big screen, you will be watching 10 Million Dollars rolling every hour, and 5 Million Dollars every 30 minutes. How long it will take you to make one million Dollar? Or 5 Millions? Maybe never in your lifetime. Well, Roberts can do in a heart beat. Imagine now Roberts starring in 2 or 3 movies a year? That's a lot of money folks!!
7. Julianne Moore. Age: 44. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Age did nor diminish one ounce from the explosive charm of this woman. She is still hot and in demand and laughing all the way to the bank. Having displayed her fearlessness in such films as ''Boogie Nights'' and ''The End of the Affair,'' earning Oscar nominations for both, she may rack up two more nods this year by showing her range in two very different 1950s-housewife roles. Her starring turn as the taboo-breaking homemaker in ''Far From Heaven'' is a lock for a Best Actress nomination, while her self-destructive mom in ''The Hours'' has a good shot in the Supporting Actress category. Her ''Heaven'' costar Dennis Quaid recently told the insiders '' I think she's America's best actress right now, like Meryl Streep is for her generation.''
8. Halle Berry. Age: 36. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Berry bookended 2002 with monumental achievements: To begin with, she won a historic Best Actress Oscar for ''Monster's Ball,'' and to close it out, she goosed the 007 franchise back to life (to the tune of $146 million and counting) in ''Die Another Day.'' Her Jinx may become the first Bond babe to have her own spinoff; in fact, Bond studio MGM is banking on Berry with about four upcoming movies. Her asking price, reportedly in the $5 million-$10 million range, makes her the highest-paid African-American actress in the business.
1. Kirsten Dunst. Age: 22. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Though ''Spider-Man'''s teen dream Mary Jane is a veteran actress with three dozen movies on her résumé, starring in the biggest hit of 2002 gave Dunst extra cred. That upside-down kiss is now seared into the brainpans of moviegoers and Sony executives, who upped her price for the sequel to a reported $8 million.
2. Jennifer Lopez. Age: 34. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Multitalented J. Lo has a knack for releasing hit albums and hit movies at the same time, as she's done most recently with her CD ''This Is Me...Then'' and her current movie ''Maid in Manhattan,'' her biggest hit yet, grossing $78 million and counting. She's been the highest-paid Latina actress since her $1 million payday for 1997's ''Selena''; she now commands a reported $12 million per picture. Plus, fascination with her marital status is on an Elizabeth Taylor level, which should help her next two releases, both of which costar fiancé Ben Affleck.
3.
Cameron Diaz. Age: 32. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Along with
her ''My Best Friend's Wedding'' costar Julia Roberts, Diaz is the only
other member of the $20 million actress club, reportedly earning that
sum for this summer's ''Charlie's Angels'' sequel. Even better, she
reportedly scored $10 million for a week of voice work as Princess Fiona
in next year's ''Shrek 2.'' She's unflappably charming, whether wearing
Ben Stiller's ''hair gel'' in ''There's Something About Mary'' or
picking pockets as a grubby thief in ''Gangs of New York,'' which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Maybe she can pocket an Oscar, too.3. Drew Barrymore. Age: 27. WHY SHE'S A-LIST? Since 1998's hit ''Ever After,'' she's been the queen of girl-power movies, setting an example both as a star and as a producer with 1999's ''Never Been Kissed'' and 2000's ''Charlie's Angels.'' As a driving force behind ''Angels,'' she was rewarded with a $125 million gross and a bump in her salary to a reported $15 million. In addition to the recently wrapped sequel, for which she lured Demi Moore out of retirement, she's also hoping to revamp another cheesecake-action classic this year, ''Barbarella.'' Meantime, the Flower Films chief is charming viewers as the flower-child love of Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell, whom she helped put on the map in ''Charlie's .
4. Reese Witherspoon. Age: 26. WHY SHE'S A One Billion Dollar Woman? After turning 2001's ''Legally Blonde'' into a sleeper hit, Witherspoon proved her bankability last fall with the $125 million gross of ''Sweet Home Alabama.'' Her salary jumped accordingly, from a reported $1 million for ''Legally Blonde'' to $15 million for its '03 sequel. Plus, she retains indie and critical cred from her role as high school overachiever Tracy Flick in 1999's ''Election.'' No wonder that, for Entertainment Weekly's 2001 If We Ran Hollywood issue, the magazine put her on the cover with the headline ''Why We'd Hire Reese Witherspoon for Everything.'' #3. Renee Zellweger. Age: 33. WHY SHE'S A One Billion Dollar Woman? She earned an Oscar nomination last year when she pulled a De Niro/Streep-style makeover, playing the titular tubby Brit in ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' (and she drove the film to a $71 million U.S. gross, to boot). Now, she's proving she can sing and dance as well in ''Chicago,'' where her murderous vamp may well earn her another chance at Oscar. Though it's been awhile since she won over audiences in ''Jerry Maguire,'' is showing Zellweger the money to the tune of a reported $10 million per picture.
5. Nicole Kidman. Age: 37. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? She is one of the most intelligent actresses in the business. In addition to her unsurpassed talent, Nicole Kidman is a woman with depth and human substance. Multitalented and Hollywood multifaceted, Nicole Kidman can play any role from the sexiest to the most melodramatic. It all started in 2001, when Kidman proved her versatility with the one-two punch of ''Moulin Rouge'' (helping to save the movie musical from extinction) and cerebral horror hit ''The Others'' (which grossed $96 million). As a result, she earned herself a raise to the $12 million-$15 million territory and became EW's Entertainer of the Year. Currently, she's wowing critics and earning strong Oscar buzz for disappearing completely into the role of Virginia Woolf in ''The Hours.''
6. Julia Roberts. Age: 37. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? The first female member of Hollywood's $20 million club, she has remained the town's highest-paid actress for years, having starred in more $100 million movies (seven) than any other actress. In 2000, she proved she was more than just another pretty woman with her ''Erin Brockovich'' Oscar. Recently, she shifted gears again, earning raves as a sexy spy in ''Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.'' She's also moved into film and TV production (her 1998 movie ''Stepmom,'' CBS' new series ''Queens Supreme''). Plus, she's a newlywed. No wonder she loves her life. Many critics believe that Julia Roberts has more luck than talent. Meaning when you watch her on the big screen, you will be watching 10 Million Dollars rolling every hour, and 5 Million Dollars every 30 minutes. How long it will take you to make one million Dollar? Or 5 Millions? Maybe never in your lifetime. Well, Roberts can do in a heart beat. Imagine now Roberts starring in 2 or 3 movies a year? That's a lot of money folks!!
7. Julianne Moore. Age: 44. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Age did nor diminish one ounce from the explosive charm of this woman. She is still hot and in demand and laughing all the way to the bank. Having displayed her fearlessness in such films as ''Boogie Nights'' and ''The End of the Affair,'' earning Oscar nominations for both, she may rack up two more nods this year by showing her range in two very different 1950s-housewife roles. Her starring turn as the taboo-breaking homemaker in ''Far From Heaven'' is a lock for a Best Actress nomination, while her self-destructive mom in ''The Hours'' has a good shot in the Supporting Actress category. Her ''Heaven'' costar Dennis Quaid recently told the insiders '' I think she's America's best actress right now, like Meryl Streep is for her generation.''
8. Halle Berry. Age: 36. WHY SHE'S A ONE BILLION DOLLAR WOMAN? Berry bookended 2002 with monumental achievements: To begin with, she won a historic Best Actress Oscar for ''Monster's Ball,'' and to close it out, she goosed the 007 franchise back to life (to the tune of $146 million and counting) in ''Die Another Day.'' Her Jinx may become the first Bond babe to have her own spinoff; in fact, Bond studio MGM is banking on Berry with about four upcoming movies. Her asking price, reportedly in the $5 million-$10 million range, makes her the highest-paid African-American actress in the business.
