Are you interested in learning about some of the most popular women in the world and how they got there? We put together this list of some of the most influential women in the world for you.
Let’s dive in…
1. Oprah Winfrey
Net worth: US$2.5 billion
Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, TV producer, actress, philanthropist, and author. She is best known for her show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which was the highest-rated TV program of its kind in history.
Oprah has repeatedly been regarded as one of the most influential women in the world.
2. J. K. Rowling
Net worth: US$1.1 billion
Joanne Kathleen Rowling is a British author who penned the seven-volume children’s fantasy series, Harry Potter. The series has sold over 500 million copies and is enjoyed by children from different generations over the world.
3. Kylie Jenner
Net worth: US$1 billion
Kylie Jenner is an American model, businesswoman, media personality, and socialite. Jenner starred in the E! reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians. She is the owner of the cosmetics brand Kylie Cosmetics.
4. Paris Hilton
Net worth: US$300 million
Paris Hilton is an American model, media personality, businesswoman, socialite, singer, DJ, and actress. She rose to fame after starring in the reality TV series called A Simple Life. Hilton is also the great-granddaughter of the founder of the Hilton Hotel chain, Conrad Hilton.
5. Lana Del Rey
Net worth: US$30 million
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, better know as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after the release of her debut album Born To Die in 2012. Lana’s music is known for its haunting quality and nostalgic themes.
6. Sade
Net worth: US$80 million
Helen Folasade Sade, professionally known as Sade, is a Nigerian-British singer, actress, and songwriter. She is one of the most successful female artists to date. Her music has had a vast influence on contemporary artists.
Sade’s most popular song is Smooth Operator from the album Diamond Life (1984).
7. Beyoncé
Net worth: US$500 million
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, actress, and songwriter. Often regarded as the most influential female musician of our time, she has won numerous awards and accolades.
Her work has sold 120 million copies worldwide and she has won 126 awards for her work.
8. Michelle Obama
Net worth: US$70 million
Michelle Obama is an American author, attorney, and former first lady of the United States. She is the wife of former American president Barack Obama, who served as the president from 2009 to 2017. She is the author of two best-sellers, American Grown (2012) and Becoming (2018).
9. Uma Thurman
Net worth: US$45 million
Uma Thurman is an American actress, fashion model, and producer. She has starred in some of the most popular cult classics, such as Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), and Pulp Fiction (1994).
In current times, Thurman is set to star in an upcoming comedic dark thriller called The Kill Room.
10. Avril Lavigne
Net worth: US$65 million
Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress considered the biggest female punk-pop musician of the 21st century. Lavigne has released seven studio albums, and her album Under My Skin (2004) sold 10 million copies globally.
11. Angelina Jolie
Net worth: US$120 million
Angelina Jolie is an American actress, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Jolie is known for multiple things, including numerous awards and accolades, her beauty, skill, charisma, and humanitarian efforts across the world.
Jolie first rose to prominence after her role in Gia (1998), a movie about the life of supermodel Gia Carangi.
12. Scarlett Johansson
Net worth: US$165 million
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress who has received various accolades and nominations. Johansson first debuted on Broadway and won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress.
Her prolific acting career is not limited to any particular genre, and she has starred in various types of films over the years.
13. Monica Bellucci
Net worth: US$45 million
Monica Bellucci is an Italian fashion model and actress who began her career as a model for Dolce & Gabbana and Dior. She first starred in Italian films, but then went on to star in various French and American films as well. Bellucci is often regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world.
14. Kim Kardashian
Net worth: US$1.8 billion
Kim Kardashian is an American model, media personality, businesswoman, and socialite. She first gained prominence as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton.
In current times, Kardashian has a significant presence online and has been the face of many renowned brands. She is also the founder of cosmetics brand KKW Beauty and clothing brand SKIMS.
15. Jennifer Lopez
Net worth: US$400 million
Jennifer Lopez, also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Lopez’s most well-known role to date is her portrayal of music star Selena Quintanilla in Selena (1997).
Aside from music, Lopez has also had a successful music career and her albums have sold 70 million copies worldwide.
16. Mariah Carey
Net worth: US$320 million
Mariah Carey, often called Songbird Supreme and the Queen of Christmas, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Carey rose to fame with the release of her debut album in 1990. She is one of the best-selling female artists of all time.
17. Megan Fox
Net worth: US$8 million
Megan Fox is an American model and actress best known for her role in the Transformers franchise. Fox made her acting debut in 2011 in the family film Holiday in the Sun. Her most well-known role is Jennifer Check in the comedy horror film Jennifer’s Body (2009).
18. Lindsay Lohan
Net worth: US$800K
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. Her best-known movies include The Parent Trap (1998) and Mean Girls (2004).
Since 2006, Lohan has been dealing with problems such as alcoholism and legal issues. In 2014, Lohan finished her probation and time in rehab. She returned to acting and has a film coming out at the end of 2022.
19. Cher
Net worth: US$360 million
Cher, whose real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian, is possibly one of the biggest music and fashion icons in history. She is often referred to as the Queen of Pop and has had a prolific career spanning six decades. Aside from music, Cher is also a big champion for LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.
20. Emma Watson
Net worth: US$90 million
Emma Watson is an English actress and activist, best known for her role as Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter franchise. In 2014, Watson was appointed as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and also helped found Time’s Up UK in 2018.
21. Malala Yousufzai
Net worth: US$2 million
Malala Yousufzai is a Pakistani advocate for female education and the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate. In 2012, Yousufzai suffered an assassination attempt for her activism. After her recovery, she passionately advocated for the right to education and founded the Malala Fund.
22. Selena Gomez
Net worth: US$85 million
Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, and producer. She rose to prominence after her role in the Disney channel TV series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012). Aside from acting, Gomez also released seven studio albums.
Currently, she stars in the HBO show Selena + Chef and Hulu series Only Murders In The Building.
23. Miley Cyrus
Net worth: US$160 million
Miley Cyrus is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and TV star. Cyrus gained popularity due to her role in hit Disney channel series Hannah Montana (2006-2011).
Since then, she has served as a coach on The Voice for two seasons. Cyrus has released numerous albums over the years, known for her distinctive voice and adaptability to various styles.
24. Demi Lovato
Net worth: US$40 million
Demi Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actor best known for her role as Mitchie Torres in the musical film Camp Rock (2008). Lovato has released seven studio albums and sold 20 million copies in the USA.
Demi’s personal struggles with an eating disorder and substance abuse gained tremendous media attention. She released two documentaries in 2017 and 2021 as a response.
25. Dita Von Teese
Net worth: US$16 million
Dita Von Teese is an American model, professional burlesque dancer, and businesswoman.
Von Teese has appeared in numerous shows, including RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell, and The Masked Dancer to name a few. She is the founder and owner of the lingerie brand Dita Von Teese Lingerie.
26. Jennifer Aniston
Net worth: US$300 million
Jennifer Aniston is an American actress and producer best known for her role in the TV sitcom Friends from 1994 to 2004. Aniston has also starred in multiple movies, such as The Good Girl (2002), Bruce Almighty (2003), and Just Go With It (2011).
Aside from acting, Aniston is also co-founder of Echo Films.
27. Katy Perry
Net worth: US$340 million
Katy Perry, whose real name is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, is an American singer and songwriter. Perry has released six studio albums and sold over 143 million records globally. She is possibly one of the most influential female pop artists in the world.
28. Sofia Vergara
Net worth: US$180 million
Sofia Vergara is a Colombian-born American model and actress. Vergara started her career by co-hosting TV shows for Univision in the 1990s.
She starred in various movies as well but rose to prominence after playing Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the ABC TV series Modern Family (2009-2020).
30. Halle Berry
Net worth: US$90 million
Halle Berry is an American actress best known for her role in Catwoman (2004). Berry started her career by participating in various beauty contests and won the sixth position in Miss World 1986.
Halle Berry has been referred to as “one of the most beautiful people alive” and “one of the sexiest film stars” by numerous magazines, such as FHM, Esquire, and Empire.
31. Blake Lively
Net worth: US$30 million
Blake Lively is an American actress best known for her role in the CW TV series Gossip Girl (2007-2012). She has also starred in numerous popular movies, such as Green Lantern (2011), The Age of Adaline (2015), and The Town (2010).
32. Rihanna
Net worth: US$1.7 billion
Rihanna is a Barbadian-born American singer, songwriter, businesswoman, and fashion designer. She began her career as a singer but has been focusing on her businesses for the past eight years. She is the CEO of cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty and intimate apparel brand Savage X Fenty.
33. Jessica Chastain
Net worth: US$76 million
Jessica Chastain is an American actress and producer known for her portrayal of strong female characters in movies. Chastain’s authenticity and genuineness give life to her characters, making them much more relatable. She has starred in The Help (2011), The Martian (2015), and Crimson Peak (2015).
34. Anne Hathaway
Net worth: US$80 million
Anne Hathaway is an American actress and one of the world’s highest-paid actresses. Hathway made her debut in the TV series Get Real (1999-2000) but rose to prominence after her role in The Princess Diaries (2001).
Since then, Hathaway has starred in numerous hit films such as The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Interstellar (2014).
35. Nigella Lawson
Net worth: US$20 million
Nigella Lawson is an English cooking show host and food writer. She is the host of various cooking shows and the author of multiple best-selling cookbooks. Nigella also has her own cookware range called Living Kitchen.
36. Winona Ryder
Net worth: US$18 million
Winona Ryder, whose real name is Winona Laura Horowitz, is an American actress. Ryder gained critical acclaim after her performance in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988). Soon after, she gained recognition with her role in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). Recently, she has been a part of the Netflix series Stranger Things since 2016.
37. Julia Roberts
Net worth: US$250 million
Julia Roberts is an American actress with a diverse acting career. She has starred in leading roles in films of various genres, such as romantic comedies, thrillers, and action films. Some of Roberts’ best-known movies include Pretty Woman (1990), Runaway Bride (1999), and Mona Lisa Smile (2003).
38. Helen Mirren
Net worth: US$100 million
Helen Mirren is an English actress and the only performer to receive The Triple Crown of Acting in the United States and the UK. Mirren made her film debut in 1994 in The Madness of King George. Mirren has appeared in various films since then, namely The Queen (2006) and The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014).
39. Adele
Net worth: US$220 million
Adele is an English singer and songwriter, well-known for her poignant and nostalgic music. She has won 15 Grammy Awards and sold over 120 million records worldwide. She is one of the best-selling artists of our time.
Adele’s album 21 (2011) was included in Rolling Stone‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.
40. Taylor Swift
Net worth: US$400 million
Taylor Swift is an American singer and songwriter, best known for her narrative style of songwriting. Her music has captivated millions of audiences around the world, having sold 200 million records worldwide.
Aside from music, Swift has also released an autobiographical documentary and directed two musical films.
41. Ariana Grande
Net worth: US$200 million
Ariana Grande is an American actress, singer, and songwriter with a massive global fan following. Grande began her career at the age of 15 in a Broadway musical titled 13.
After working with Nickelodeon from 2010 to 2014, Grande began her music career. Since then, she has released six studio albums and sold 85 million records globally.
42. Eva Green
Net worth: US$10 million
Eva Green is a French actress and fashion model, best known for her work with director Tim Burton. She began her career as a theatre performer and made her film debut in The Dreamers (2003).
Green has starred in numerous films Some of her best-known roles include Angelique Bouchard in Dark Shadows (2012), and Miss Alma Peregrine in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016).
43. Britney Spears
Net worth: US$60 million
Britney Spears, often called the Princess of Pop, is an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. Spears began her career as a musician at the age of 15, and her first two studio albums sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
In 2008, Britney was involuntarily placed under conservatorship, a form of legal guardianship, due to various issues. In 2021, her conservatorship finally came to an end after she publically testified to her management team and family’s abuse.
44. Bella Hadid
Net worth: US$25 million
Bella Hadid is an American model who has appeared on the cover of international Vogue magazines twenty-seven times. She is one of the most sought-out and highest-paid models of our time. Additionally, Hadid also has a strong social media presence with 52.1 million followers on Instagram.
45. Madonna
Net worth: US$850 million
Madonna, whose full name is Madonna Louis Ciccone, is an American singer, songwriter, and best-selling female music artist of all time. She is possibly one of the biggest and most celebrated pop icons of all time.
46. Lady Gaga
Net worth: US$320 million
Stefani Germanotta, professionally called Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Gaga is one of the world’s best-selling female artists of all time and has sold 124 million records worldwide.
47. Celine Dion
Net worth: US$700 million
Celine Dion is a Canadian singer, known for her powerful vocals and impressive vocal range. Dion garnered worldwide fame and attention in the 1990s for her work. She remains one of the most well-known artists in the world to date.
48. Kendall Jenner
Net worth: US$45 million
Kendall Jenner is an American model, socialite, and media personality. Jenner began her modeling career at the age of 14 and has, since then, appeared on numerous magazine covers.
50. Ellen DeGeneres
Net worth: US$490 million
Ellen DeGeneres is an American TV show host, comedian, actress, writer, and producer. She is best known for her talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show which debuted in 2003.
51. Sarah Jessica Parker
Net worth: US$150 million
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American TV producer and actress. She is best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the TV series Sex and the City (1998-2004). Parker started her own production company called Pretty Matches in 2005.
52. Kelly Clarkson
Net worth: US$45 million
Kelly Clarkson is an American singer, songwriter, media personality, actress, and author. In 2002, Clarkson won the first season of The Voice which landed her a deal with the American record label, RCA. Since then, Clarkson has released nine studio albums.
53. Emma Stone
Net worth: US$30 million
Emma Stone is an American actress who made her TV debut in 2004. Stone has been in numerous famous movies in leading roles, including The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Crazy, Stupid Love (2011), La La Land (2016), and Cruella (2021).
54. Emilia Clarke
Net worth: US$20 million
Emilia Clarke is an English actress, best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the TV series Game of Thrones (2011-2019). The role earned her worldwide fame and four Emmy nominations. Aside from Game of Thrones, Clarke also starred in Me Before You (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
55. Dakota Johnson
Net worth: US$14 million
Dakota Johnson is an American actress, model, and producer best known for her role as Anastasia Steele in the film series Fifty Shades of Grey (2015-2018). In 2019, Johnson co-founded her production company TeaTime Pictures with Ro Donnelly.
56. Kate Winslet
Net worth: US$65 million
Kate Winslet is an American actress, best known for her role in the romantic film Titanic (1997). She has also starred in numerous other films, such as Eternal Sunshine of A Spotless Mind (2004), Finding Neverland (2004), and Steve Jobs (2015).
57. Marilyn Monroe
Net worth: US$7 million
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer. Often regarded as a global sex symbol, Monroe is possibly one of the most well-known women worldwide.
She was one of the most sought-after actresses during the 1950s and 1960s. Unfortunately, Marilyn passed away in 1962 at the age of 36.
58. Salma Hayek
Net worth: US$200 million
Salma Hayek is a Mexican-American actress and producer. She started her career in Mexico, starring in a telenovela and romantic film. Hayek’s best-known role is her portrayal of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in the biographical film Frida (2002).
59. Gwen Stefani
Net worth: US$150 million
Gwen Stefani is an American singer, songwriter, and fashion designer. Stefani initially worked with the American rock band No Doubt but started her solo career in 2004. Since then, she has released four studio albums and is set to release the fifth one soon.
60. Helena Bonham Carter
Net worth: US$60 million
Helena Bonham Carter is an English actress best known for her role as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter film series.
Carter’s main body of work is with director Tim Burton, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010).
61. Meryl Streep
Net worth: US$160 million
Meryl Streep is an American actress with a career spanning more than four decades. Some of her best-known movies include The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Julie & Julia (2009), and The Iron Lady (2011).
Throughout her career, Streep has been nominated fifty-four times, won twenty-four awards, and received six honorary awards.
62. Billie Eilish
Net worth: US$53 million
Billie Eilish is an American singer and songwriter who rose to prominence after the release of her debut single Ocean Eyes in 2015. She has released two studio albums, the second of which reached number one in 25 countries.
Eilish is also the youngest artist ever to win a Grammy award and has won seven Grammy awards.
63. Naomi Campbell
Net worth: US$80 million
Naomi Campbell is a British supermodel, businesswoman, actress, and singer. She is one of the most well-known models in the world and has been the face of several campaigns throughout her impressive career spanning four decades.
64. Zendaya
Net worth: US$15 million
Zendaya is an American actress and singer, best known for her role as Rue Bennett in the HBO TV series Euphoria. She has also starred in numerous blockbuster films, including The Greatest Showman (2017), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and Dune (2021).
Aside from acting, Zendaya released two singles in 2011, one single in 2021, and her debut album in 2013.
65. Cardi B
Net worth: US$30 million
Cardi B is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. Her first official debut single Bodak Yellow was released in 2017 and managed to climb to a number 1 spot on the Top 100 charts.
Cardi’s music has often been described as raunchy and “in your face” but that’s just her catering to public demands. Her first studio album won her the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2018. Cardi comes from humble beginnings and her coming-to-fame story really set her apart.
Conclusion
In the last few decades, women have made giant strides in various fields. They have become pioneers in many fields dominated by men. As a result, there are many famous and powerful women in the world now as compared to before.
While there are certainly many more popular and successful women in the world, we tried to include as many as we could.
