Every year since 1999, FORBES has released its Celebrity 100 list with superstars from Angelina Jolie to Jerry Seinfeld to Beyoncé gracing the cover. The rankings have traditionally been based on a complex stew of factors–earnings, social media following, magazine covers and a range of qualitative measures–but this year, we’re changing things up.
You asked, and we listened: The 2015 edition of the Celeb 100 is set for debut online on Monday, June 29th (issue on newsstands later in the week) and will be ranked by earnings only. The change in methodology paves the way for a truly international package. By eliminating U.S.-centric power metrics, we’ve opened up the list to a range of global celebrities from Bollywood idols to South American soccer stars, many of whom are earning more than stateside A-listers.
The package will include print and web features on a handful of the world’s highest-paid superstars, with an eye toward those who are cashing in on lucrative new markets around the globe. We’ll bring you closer than ever to the entertainment elite with exclusive videos and interactive content, some of it filmed abroad with the stars themselves. The new look also includes a renewed focus on front-of-the-camera talent (we’ve jettisoned Hollywood power brokers who are primarily behind-the-scenes producers).
For the first time, we’re also offering a contest: Correctly guess the top ten names on this year’s list, and win a free signed copy of Empire State of Mind , my business-focused biography on Celeb 100 mainstay Jay Z. Contestants may leave entries in the form of comments at the bottom of this post ranked from 1-10. The person who guesses the largest number of names on the actual top ten wins; rank will serve as a tiebreaker.
Actually, you're right. Their money, when converted to dollars won't be that much. But many of the bigger stars there work on a 4-5 movie contract basis with the studios there, which is why they get a lot of money. But it might not be that much, when converted.
