Scarlett Johansson beats Gal Gadot highest paid actress

Scarlett Johansson beats Gal Gadot highest paid actress. Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has become the best paid actress in the world, according to Forbes magazine. Johansson, 33, made USD 40.5 million in pre tax earnings from June 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, quadrupling her income from the previous year.  She played Black Widow in this year’s hit Marvel movie “Avengers: Infinity War” and will return to the role in the 2019 installment from Walt Disney Co’s Marvel Studios.

Johansson beat out Angelina Jolie, who ranked second with USD 28 million thanks mainly to her upfront pay for “Maleficent 2”.  Jennifer Aniston came in third with USD 19.5 million, making the bulk of her profits from Emirates airlines, Smartwater, and Aveeno promotions, Forbes reports.

Jennifer Lawrence, 28, was fourth on the list with continued earnings from her role in the “X Men” series and an endorsement contract with fashion brand Christian Dior. Her USD 18 million income was USD 6 million less than the prior year. Reese Witherspoon, 42, is at number five with USD 16.5 million.

The rest of the top 10 were Mila Kunis, Cate Blanchett, Melissa McCarthy and Gal Gadot. The combined earnings of the top 10 women this year is USD 186 million. Last year’s highest paid actress, Emma Stone, was not part of the top 10.

Jennifer Aniston, 49, who still earns residual income from the 1990s sitcom Friends, came in third with $19.5 million. She also received money from endorsements of products including Coca-Cola Co’s Smartwater brand and Johnson & Johnson’s Aveeno. In fifth place, Reese Witherspoon, 42, took in $16.5 million.

Only two women topped the $20 million mark, down from three in 2017 and four in 2016. The magazine compiles its annual celebrity earnings lists from box office and Nielsen data, as well as from interviews with industry insiders.

The 2018 Forbes list of highest-paid actors is scheduled to be released next week. Last year, Mark Wahlberg led the pack with $68 million thanks to his pay days for movies Daddy’s Home 2 and Transformers: The Last Knight.