A verdict has been reached. The list of the Most Powerful Women in 2015 has been released by Forbes on May 26, and it includes a handful of today's most sought after celebrities. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel still tops this year's list, a few fan favorites also managed to ease their way in the prestigious group.
None other than Oprah Winfrey, who landed 12th, is named as top ranking billionaire among those in the list. With a whooping net worth of $3 billion, the magazine dubbed Oprah as "the long-reigning queen of daytime TV."
As for the entertainment industry, Beyonce Knowles, otherwise known as Queen B, is named as the leader of the group at No. 21. Describing her source of wealth as "self-made," the magazine cited that the "Girls" singer actually held the lead under this category in last year's lead as well. It then went on to say, "Over the past 12 months, she has picked up right where she left off: last summer's On The Run tour with husband Jay Z grossed about $100 million for 19 North American shows, giving music's first couple a nightly average on par with the Rolling Stones."
Beyonce is followed by Ellen DeGeneres at No. 50, who is described as a comedian, director/producer, personality, and philanthropist. The magazine stated, "The Queen of Daytime is branching out. Ratings for her show continue to be strong, even as the competition gets stiffer in its 12th season." It then went on to enumerate the various ventures of DeGeneres which include a new clothing line, online media presence, and production houses.
Unsurprisingly, Angelina Jolie makes it to the list as well. At No. 54, the mom of six kids "continues to command some of Tinseltown's highest fees on screen" despite her preventive surgeries in the past year. Apart from serving as an actress, director, and producer, "Jolie's activism lends her art and philanthropy credence, making her one of Hollywood's most powerful people."
Also part of the list is 'Modern Family's' Sofia Vergara who ranked 57th this year. The magazine revealed that "Vergara is still the highest-earning actress on television." In addition, the actress "smartly leveraged TV fame into endorsement opportunities and an abundance of licensing deals." Explaining her effectiveness as an endorser in an earlier interview, Vergara was quoted as saying, "I'm the perfect candidate for any endorsement because they hire me and hit the English and Spanish markets at the same time."
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift entered the list at No. 64. Since the singer is merely 25 years old, her inclusion makes her the youngest person to ever land a spot in the list. Her recent battle with Spotify as well as her philanthropic activities made the pop star a guaranteed member to the group of exceptional women in the world today.
The list and rankings are compiled in accordance with the candidates' "money, media momentum, spheres of influence and impact."
