Scarlett Johansson has been named the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, notching the top spot on Forbes‘ annual list.
The publication reports that Johansson earned $40.5 million in pretax earnings between June 1, 2017 and June 1, 2018. Last year’s top earner was Emma Stone, who raked in $26 million.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The second and third spots on the list this year are occupied by Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston with $28 million and $19.5 million earned, respectively. Jolie’s spot is likely due to her upfront pay for Maleficent 2, while Aniston continues to earn via lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Emirates Air, Aveeno and Smartwater.
Next is Jennifer Lawrence with $18 million followed by Reese Witherspoon with $16.5 million. The list is rounded out by Mila Kunis, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Melissa McCarthy and Gal Gadot.
A major part of Johansson’s earnings likely come from her turn in this year’s Avengers: Infinity War, which was a massive hit at the box office. The second part of that film will be released in 2019, which will also feature Johansson.
In 2017, the actress starred in two films, Rough Night and Ghost in the Shell, the latter of which saw Johansson receive backlash for playing a Japanese character.
The star recently found herself the subject of controversy once again when it was revealed that she would be portraying a transgender man in the upcoming film Rub & Tug, which will chronicle the life of Dante Tex Gill, a gangster and owner of a massage parlor.
After receiving backlash, Johansson issued a statement defending the role.
“Tell them that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment,” she told Bustle via a representative. That comment pointed to three cisgender actors who have previously played transgender roles.
She later stated that she would be exiting the project.
“In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project,” she told Out magazine. “Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive.”
“I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues,” she continued. “While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante’s story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Roy Rochlin
