Angelina Jolie tops Forbes list

Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker both earned from blockbuster movies

Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker were the highest-paid Hollywood actresses last year, each earning $30m (£18.7m), according to Forbes.com.

Jolie earned her title thanks to the global box office success of her films Salt and The Tourist.

Parker's earnings came from repeats of TV show Sex and the City and the sequel to the spin-off film.

Forbes compiled the list by talking to producers, agents and Hollywood insiders to estimate earnings.

In addition to income from the Sex and the City TV shows and films, which Parker both starred in and produced, the actress also raked in $18m (£11.2m) from her beauty and fashion lines.

Parker jumped to the top of the list from her fifth position the year before when she earned an estimated $25m (£15.6m).

Jolie's action film Salt brought in $300m (£187m) worldwide.

And although The Tourist, co-starring Johnny Depp, was critically panned, it took $280m (£174m), with three-quarters of that haul coming from overseas markets.

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon ranked joint third on the list, taking home an estimated $28m (£17.5m) each between May 2010 and May 2011.

Aniston's earnings were helped by The Bounty Hunter and Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It which is her fourth highest-earning film in the US.

Julia Roberts and Twilight actress Kristen Stewart were joint fifth.

Last year's top earner, Oscar winner Sandra Bullock, dropped to number nine with earnings of $15m (£9.4m) after a 12-month movie hiatus.