Forbes’ Top 10 Earning Actresses of 2012: You May Be Surprised Who Makes WAY More (Like $20 Million More) Than Jennifer Aniston!

Despite tons of press this year thanks to her new relationship with actor Justin Theroux, and marriage and baby rumors, Aniston landed at the bottom of the list (which still doesn’t suck with her $11 million per year estimated salary). Aniston's comedy last year with Adam Sandler (and model Brooklyn Decker) Just Go With It just had a “meh” turnout in box office cash, as did her film Horrible Bosses in which she shocked many fans by going against type as a sexually aggressive dentist. We’re guessing America still loves to see Jen in roles that have a little “Rachel” in them and Aniston may want to stick with comedies for 2013. But based on her IMDB profile, Jen is going to keep us guessing. The plot of the 2013 film “Miss You Already” she has signed up for with co-star Toni Collette is described as “a friendship between two life-long girlfriends is put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.” Let’s hope it gets Jen an Oscar nom to help keep her on the top earners list!

The effect of Bridesmaids for the actresses who landed a part in the runaway comedy hit had the same effect as the success that Hangover did (and still does) for those lucky men. The crazy comedy of the girl’s pre-wedding errors even had some poignant moments carried off well by the former Saturday Night Live comedic star, and the film earned way more money than anyone imagined: a whopping $288 million off of an estimated budget of just $32 million. Everyone on Hollywood is buzzing that Wiig, who had only just left SNL to do Bridemaids, is going to be BIG, and that audiences haven’t even seen her scope yet. Sound likes Wiig is set to be the next Adam Sandler, who already floats seamlessly (and very lucratively) between crass comedies and serious dramas and indies. By Christmas, Wiig will co-star in her first big-budget film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, with Ben Stiller, which should cement her top position as Hollywood’s favorite and funniest new actress. And any sequel to Bridesmaids is sure to land her on the Forbes list again.

The British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher biopic film The Iron Lady in 2011 earned Streep her third Academy Award and also makes her the most nominated actress of all time. While most Hollywood actresses seem to have limited roles and drop off the top earners list even before they are 50, at the age of 62, Streep has the career and diversity of roles, as well as a huge salary and esteemed recognition, that any actress would crave at any age.

Parker’s leading role in I Don't Know How She Does It wasn’t Oscar gold, or any type of gold, since it brought in only $30 million at the global box office. And her role in the star-studded famous film flop New Year’s Eve couldn’t have added much bank to her savings account either. But the actress still earns big thanks to reruns of her hit show Sex and the City and best-selling perfumes like NYC and Lovely (though her inexpensive clothing line Bitten bit the dust years ago). Parker also gets paid a nice paycheck to endorse Garnier hair products and had a producer credit on both Sex and The City films, which continue to earn via DVD sales.

Roberts used to reign as the top-paid actress for years in Hollywood and topped The Hollywood Reporter’s famous “Power List” back in 2005 and 2006. But in the past few years, Roberts' earning power has dropped significantly, and where she used to average 3-4 films in a year, the mom of three, who lives outside of Hollywood, limits herself to just an average of one film per year now.

At $18 million, Theron is only making almost half of what her Snow White and the Huntsman 22-year-old costar Kristen Stewart makes in a year. Her film Young Adult wasn’t a huge hit 2011 (it only brought in only $23 million, which is about the same amount spent to make the movie Bad Teacher for #2 earner Cameron Diaz), but it gave Theron great buzz thanks to writer Diablo Cody’s quirky screenplay. In 2012, big productions Snow White and the Huntsman and the anticipated Prometheus and her high-profile Dior print ads and TV commercials helped her land a respectful place at #5.

Jolie is banking the big bucks with such successful series as Lara Croft and even the animated Kung Fu Panda stories, and is also set to make a sequel to the action movie Salt in 2014. And even when she is not filming, the gorgeous Jolie puts her model good looks to work earning millions each year from endorsement deals for luxury brand companies like Louis Vuitton. Since she is soon to be married to long-time partner Brad Pitt, who she co-parents 6 children with, Jolie could be raking in even more in 2013 when it comes tax-time if she goes from a “single” to “joint” filing.

The “Queen of the Box Office” reportedly can earn $17 million just to star in a film. Add in her production credits and the zeroes in her annual paycheck really start to add up. If Bullock keeps winning Oscars and awards, too, like she did for the The Blind Side in 2010, studios should be happy to pay her high-end salary for many years to come. But “America’s Sweetheart” also has a famous generous side: She had already cut million-dollar checks to tsunami and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, setting a wonderful example for new son Louis to follow someday.

You may be shocked to learn that 2011’s Bad Teacher earned a whopping $216 million on a budget of just $20 million. Diaz is not just funny (and gorgeous), she’s smart too: she signed on for smaller upfront salary to do the film in exchange for a big fat share of the profits to make her #2 on Forbes’ list, beating out a LOT of Hollywood heavy-hitters.

The youngest on the Forbes list, Kristen at age 22 earns the impressive number one spot after making $34.5 million bucks. Starring as Bella Swan in the successful Twilight series earned her the most, but choosing roles as her latest in Snow White and the Huntsman with A-lister Charlize Theron (who is also on the Forbes list) made her even more dough. Kristen proves that appealing to Twi-Hards and tweens can really really pay the rent!