That's magic! Harry Potter star Emma Watson is named Hollywood's highest paid actress

By Paul Thompson

Top earner: Despite trying to maintain a normal life Harry Potter actress Emma Watson was the highest paid female star in Hollywood in 2009

Last year was a big one for Emma Watson.

She had her final teenage birthday, she started university - and she managed to become the highest paid female star in Hollywood.

The Harry Potter actress, 19, is said to have banked more in 2009 than established stars such as Cameron Diaz, Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Her income was put at £20million in the table of Hollywood's top 40 earners compiled by Vanity Fair magazine.

She came 14th overall - and is the youngest person, male or female, to appear.

The magazine said her fee for appearing as Hermione in the final two parts of the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows I and II, was £10million for each film.

Her Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe fared even better and was placed sixth overall with an income of £25.6million.

Incredibly, the 20-year-old was the highest paid actor on the list, with the top five places all occupied by directors.

The magazine, which compiled its figures from various Hollywood sources, said Radcliffe pulled in £25million for his role in the final two Potter films.

He earned a further £600,000 in royalties from Harry Potter merchandise.

Radcliffe, who has used some of his earnings to build up a property portfolio in the UK and U.S., earned more than Johnny Depp and Robert De Niro.

The list was topped by director Michael
Bay who made the Transformers films.

His income was put at £78.12million with Steven Spielberg second with £ 53.1million.

James Cameron, the director and producer of Avatar, was fourth with £31.25million.

Radcliffe and Miss Watson's Harry Potter co-star Rupert Grint made it on to the list at No 15, with £20million.

Twilight star Robert Pattinson earned £11.25million to reach No 38, two places above Brad Pitt.


Big screen hit: Emma has played the heroine Hermione in all of the Potter films

The top Hollywood earners in 2009:1. Michael Bay, producer-director ($125 million)
2. Steven Spielberg, producer-director ($85 million)
3. Roland Emmerich, producer-director ($70 million)
4. James Cameron, producer-director ($50 million)
5. Todd Phillips, director ($44 million)
6. Daniel Radcliffe, actor (£25.9 million)
7. Ben Stiller, actor ($40 million)
8. Tom Hanks, actor ($36 million)
9. J. J. Abrams, producer-director ($36 million)
10. Jerry Bruckheimer, producer ($35.5 million)


Hollywood's top female earners in 2009:1. Emma Watson, actress ($30million)
2. Cameron Diaz, actress ($27million)
3. Sarah Jessica Parker, actress ($24million)
4. Katherine Heigl, actress ($24million)
5. Reese Witherspoon, actress ($21million)
6. Angelina Jolie, actress ($21million)
7. Jennifer Aniston, actress ($20million)
8. Sandra Bullock, actress ($20million)
9. Kristen Stewart , actress ($16million)


Twilight years: Robert Pattinson was the only other British actor that made the top 40 list compiled by Vanity Fair


source: dailymail