Perdita
11-02-2009, 15:17
Will Smith has been named the most bankable performer in Hollywood.
The I Am Legend star topped the inaugural Forbes Star Currency List, which measures an actor's overall financial success in the industry.
Around 150 entertainment industry members were asked to fill out the survey, which provided a scale for ranking over 1,400 actors.
The final list was based on a combination of box office figures, ability to attract funding and distribtion and whether their presence in a film could "significantly drive box office performance".
John Burman, special projects director for Forbes, said that Smith could "star in any movie genre", adding: "He can move from doing the pop film to an Ali to a Seven Pounds to The Pursuit of Happyness, so he's able to play in all worlds and I think people just like watching him on screen."
Smith received a perfect ten, beating competition from Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who all tied for second place with a score of 9.89.
The only women in the top 20 were Julia Roberts (11) and Meryl Streep (16). Transformers star Shia LaBeouf was the youngest star to make the list, coming in at number 33.
Smith's films, including Independence Day, Men In Black and Hancock, have grossed more than $5.2 billion worldwide.
The top ten most bankable stars in Hollywood are:
1. Will Smith
2. Johnny Depp
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
4. Angelina Jolie
5. Brad Pitt
6. Tom Hanks
7. George Clooney
8. Denzel Washington
9. Matt Damon
10. Jack Nicholson
The I Am Legend star topped the inaugural Forbes Star Currency List, which measures an actor's overall financial success in the industry.
Around 150 entertainment industry members were asked to fill out the survey, which provided a scale for ranking over 1,400 actors.
The final list was based on a combination of box office figures, ability to attract funding and distribtion and whether their presence in a film could "significantly drive box office performance".
John Burman, special projects director for Forbes, said that Smith could "star in any movie genre", adding: "He can move from doing the pop film to an Ali to a Seven Pounds to The Pursuit of Happyness, so he's able to play in all worlds and I think people just like watching him on screen."
Smith received a perfect ten, beating competition from Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who all tied for second place with a score of 9.89.
The only women in the top 20 were Julia Roberts (11) and Meryl Streep (16). Transformers star Shia LaBeouf was the youngest star to make the list, coming in at number 33.
Smith's films, including Independence Day, Men In Black and Hancock, have grossed more than $5.2 billion worldwide.
The top ten most bankable stars in Hollywood are:
1. Will Smith
2. Johnny Depp
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
4. Angelina Jolie
5. Brad Pitt
6. Tom Hanks
7. George Clooney
8. Denzel Washington
9. Matt Damon
10. Jack Nicholson