#15 David Letterman - Power Rank 15 - Pay $45 mil

The veteran late-night host became a hero when his production company, Worldwide Pants, hammered out its own deal with its striking writers to get them working ahead of others. In addition to Late Show With David Letterman, the company owns the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson and syndicated rights to sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

#14 Cameron Diaz - Power Rank 14 - Pay $50 mil

The highest-paid actress in Hollywood makes or breaks a movie. She's got the acting chops but is still dogged by ditzy roles. Recently she's been cashing in on her role as a princess-turned-ogre in the Shrek franchise. Also appeared with Ashton Kutcher in What Happens in Vegas this spring.

#13 Steven Spielberg - Power Rank 13 - Pay $130 mil

It was a big year for the king of Hollywood. He produced Transformers (directed by Michael Bay) and released Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the first movie he's directed since 2005. He's into videogames too: He introduced the game "Boom Blox" in May, the first of three he's developing in collaboration with Electronic Arts.

#12 Justin Timberlake - Power Rank 12 - Pay $44 mil

Two million fans paid $100 million to see J.T. on his FutureSex/Love Show tour. The former boy-band member also appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi, heads his own music label and has signed a development deal with MTV.

#11 Will Smith - Power Rank 11 - Pay $80 mil

A star who turns out blockbuster after blockbuster, Smith pulled in a gross of $585 million with his thriller I Am Legend, more than half of it overseas. When he takes a rare risk, as in his drama The Pursuit of Happyness, his films still make bank. He's keeping this summer warm with his anti-superhero flick Hancock.

#10 Brad Pitt - Power Rank 10 - Pay $14 mil

Rendered permanently cool with his roles in Fight Club, Seven and Ocean's Eleven, Pitt remains one of Hollywood's most bankable actors. Up next: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Spends down time flying around the world working for charities—and adopting babies—with his girlfriend, actress Angelina Jolie.

#9 J.K. Rowling - Power Rank 9 - Pay $300 mil

It was wizardry that transformed J.K. Rowling from a destitute single mother on welfare into a best-selling billionaire. Her adventures of teenage magician Harry Potter and his classmates at Hogwarts became a children's literary sensation in 1998 with the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It and the six subsequent books have now sold 375 million copies worldwide. The final one, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has sold 44 million since it was published last July, including 15 million in the first 24 hours.