First off, Us Weekly and Vanity Fair are reporting that Angelina Jolie earned a whopping $1 million more than Jennifer Aniston in 2009. But in the grand scheme of things, Angelina is still being “bested” by 31 other Hollywood players, it’s just that Us Weekly chose to make this into an Angelina v. Aniston thing. Here’s more:
Angelina Jolie bests Jennifer Aniston — again.
Jolie, 32, out earned Aniston, 40, in 2009, according to Vanity Fair’s “Hollywood’s Top 40” list (in the March issue).
Jolie came in at No. 32 on the list by making $21 million last year; $20 million of that for her action thriller, Salt, which doesn’t even hit theaters until next July. She made an extra mil in royalties from other films, the mag estimates.
Aniston isn’t too far behind at No. 31. She earned $20 million last year, but had to do a lot more work. VF says she made $8 million each for The Bounty Hunter (with Gerard Butler) and The Baster. She banked $3 million for 2008’s Marley & Me thanks to back-end earnings of its $243 million worldwide gross and DVD sales, and $1 million from He’s Just Not That Into You.
(Jolie didn’t always rake in more dough than Aniston. In 2008, Forbes estimated she earned $27 million largely thanks to Marley & Me, while Jolie made $14 million.)
Both ladies are far ahead of Brad Pitt, who came in dead last on the list with $13.5 million.
The actor earned $5 million for voice work in Megamind, $4.5 million in back-end fees for Oscar nominated Inglourious Basterds, $2 million for executive producing The Time Traveler’s Wife, $1 million for producing Eat, Pray, Love (starring Julia Roberts) and $1 million from royalties.
[From Us Weekly]
What’s startling to me is that Aniston gets a back-end deal. It’s my understanding that very few stars get that sort of arrangement, and usually it’s just the men. Tom Cruise used to make a ton of money off of back-end deals (I’m seriously not making a funny), as have Will Smith and Brad. But Jennifer? Seriously? Backend deals are usually given to stars who are irreplaceable to a project.
Anyway, in other Brangelina-Bermuda Triangle news, it’s not a surprise that perceived or imagined trouble in Brangelina-ville made the cover of OK! Magazine, Star and In Touch Weekly this week. What is surprising, however, is that People Magazine is doing yet another damage-control piece about how Brad and Angelina are fine. My theory is that People Mag only runs these stories under the direct supervision and approval of Brad and/or Angelina, so what’s up, People?
They snuck in through the kitchen, held hands through the evening and laughed heartily at each other’s jokes. To many witnesses of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s recent surprise date at the Directors Guild of America Awards, the pair’s affection was the real deal.
“They were a loving couple,” says a guest who spent time with them throughout the Jan. 30 event. “It was nothing you could fake. You could feel it, and you could see in their body language that it’s just a beautiful relationship. They were very sweet and tender with each other.”
Pitt, who was there to present a nomination medallion to his Inglourious Basterds director Quentin Tarantino, was attentive to Jolie, with whom he has six children. “Angie just decided to go to DGAs to support Brad. They had a great time,” says a source close to the couple.
Coming in the wake of rumors that the couple had called it quits, cynics had raised questions about the outing. But people who saw the couple say they not only stayed through the entire four-plus hour event but remained afterwards to chat with guests and sign autographs.
“You read all those things about them, but it is hard to believe any of it based off of how they were together,” says a second guest. “Those two were very much together.”
[From People]
See, I buy that everything is fine in Brangelina-ville. It’s not the constant, incessant chatter about them breaking up that ever makes me stop and think “Hey, maybe they’re not doing so well.” It’s sh-t like this. Heavy-handed pro-Brangelina propaganda makes me think there’s trouble in rubber-sheet paradise.
Angelina in New York on December 30, 2009. Brad & Jolie in LA on August 10, 2009. Credit: WENN.
Kaiser, you nailed it. Propaganda. Brange has manipulated the public since the filming of Mr & Mrs Smith and it goes on and on. Puh-LEEZE! Thanks for the caveat.
uhm E! has a story up like this over the weekend, people is just late on its ass kissing
That is surprising about Aniston getting such a sweet deal. I guess it’s in place of a higher paycheck to begin with that she gets the back end. Also probably the millions in free publicity that she brings to any project, what with the insatiable Triangle curiosity.
“Jolie didn’t always rake in more dough than Aniston. In 2008, Forbes estimated she earned $27 million largely thanks to Marley & Me, while Jolie made $14 million.”
uh oh…that’s going to make some people’s heads explode.
and Kaiser, intentional or not, you DID make a funny with your mention of Cruise and him making money off “back-end deals”. And it WAS funny.
*sigh*. People magazine uses “sources” to say that “witnesses” saw the couple acting cozy. Yet there are scores of other “sources” and “witnesses” on the internet right now telling people who will hear it that they seemed “forced” throughout the evening, and that there was visible tension. And even some stating that the two didn’t even arrive together. Again (like every other time this year), it’s about choosing what to believe. “Sources” are no more creditable for People mag than they are for In Touch. It still doesn’t prove one way or another. On another note, People mag reports negative rumors very last, once it’s old news and folks want to read released statements or exclusive interviews. Most of the stars have to “OK” what’s being printed about them. Talk about no fun.
Why is it surprising that Jennifer gets a backend deal? Marley and Me was a huge, huge movie and it was pretty much guaranteed and she was smart to get something on the back end for that. She was one of the stars of the film.
Edit: “Sources” can, and do, say anything. My “sources” say that Brangelina and Jennifer Aniston regularly have threesomes with Aniston’s secret husband, James Lipton.
Is it me, or are too many NON-EMPLOYEES allowed in these kitchens (Aniston and Butler, now…)?
Celebrity or no, keep your business away from my chicken fingers and potato skins.
I’m surprised at your take on this, Kaiser. People is usually in Jen’s pocket, no? I mean, didn’t she have to approve the last “Five Years Later” People cover? I might be wrong…
It just seems like People is trying to sell more mags by taking the opposite angle, thereby not having to compete with several mags, all with the same headline. It’s a smart move….
then again, I’m not up on which mags are out when, etc.
James Lipton, LOL.
It does sound a bit heavy handed, but People always lays it on thick. Why bother paying a publicist when you can have People mag do it all for you for free?
I’m surprised Aniston got a back end deal too, especially on a movie that wasn’t really a star vehicle. I’ve always thought it was rare for women to get that sort of deal, and though I like Aniston OK as an actress, I don’t see her as one who can guarantee success based on her name only. (At the moment, I think that spot is only held by Miss Meryl.)
Ally, you might be right about the free publicity, I’m sure it didn’t hurt.
Royalties – must be nice to make big money on work you did years ago!
Tommy boy and the back end deal was funny.
May be Aniston’s “sweet deal” is a carry-over from when she and Pitt owned Plan B together…
While I think “The Time Traveler’s Wife” is the last of their joint acquisitions, any lawyer worth their salt (no pun intended) would try to continue to ensure her lucrative, back-end, producer-type contracts (more money for them, too).
I have a question:
In Touch and Life and Style are both owned by Bauer-Griffin, yet for the past two weeks they have been saying diametrically opposed things.
In Touch claims the Jolie-Pitts saw a lawyer to talk about a break-up; Life & Style claims they saw a lawyer to talk about a prenup.
In Touch has consistently claimed Doug Pitt has urged Brad to leave Angie and says his family can’t stand her and prefers Aniston to her. Life & Style is saying Doug Pitt denies the whole story and says his family does not want Brad to leave Angie, and they are fond of Angie and do not prefer Aniston to her.
So — what’s the reason for the schizoid reporting? Is Bauer-Griffin hedging their bets so that either way they can claim “You heard it here first!”?
What’s the red shit on Angie’s hand in the top photo? Looks like blood to me! Brad’s blood! Guess he should say “Bitch” a little quieter next time her back is turned!
Is it just me or is People Magazine the only one who is writing all the lovey-dovey stories?
Angelina Jolie gets backend deals for all of her movies since “Wanted” (she eventually earned a total of $40M on that one, according to the HollReport). I also think Julia Roberts earns backend deals (or did in the past). So, it’s not so strange for women to earn a backend deal, as long as their movies make money at the BO.
As far as “sources” go, if I’m going to believe a source it would be a People Mag source rather than a ragmag source since, it’s a fact that Doug Pitt talks to People.
I’ve not comfortable with these “unnamed source” stories.
Didn’t the standard for journalism used to be that you had to get confirmation from TWO different sources, or else it didn’t get published?
They will print anything these days. The only way you can really know whether it’s true or not is when the people or their reps say it themselves.
Hey Cheyenne: If there’s an actual interview/statement of Doug Pitt claiming “everything’s fine” and that the family is very “fond of Angie”, then I really want to read it. That would be something I’d be inclined to believe for once. It’s better than all of these unnamed sources claiming this or that. Do you have a link?
people magazine is much more credible than the other weeklies, so I tend to trust their sources more than others. Us Weekly tries but they still have propaganda going on. People is very pro-Brange because of the highly lucrative baby photos. So they are very biased towards them. But they are usually right. The tabs, being the jealous hags that they are, are anti-Brange because it sells. Misery loves company. And misery is much more commonplace than fairytale happy endings.
Sigh: LMAO at your kitchen comment! NOBODY fucks with my chicken fingers. That sounded kind of messed up, but you know what I mean.
seriously will some of you people get off the B&A manipulating the public, every celebrities does it even Aniston. And if B&A are manipulating the public then who fault is that, maybe because the public are way to up in their freaking business. All celebrities manipulate the public.
is it me or IT, OK, L&S, US are the only ones writing break up stories? Why is their “sources” any truer than PEOPLE’s? I will take People Magazine any day over the rest of the rags. They aren’t the ones calling break up stories for 5 years and counting lol
They may fight like any other normal couple does and then they makeup. No news here, people need to move along and let these people live there lives.
@Bek: It’s in this week’s Life & Style which I skipped through on the checkout line at the supermarket this afternoon. Since this is a tabloid saying this, you can take it with several grains of salt.
If there is an actual statement or interview of Doug Pitt urging Brad to leave Angie, then I’d like to see that. It sounds like typical Star Mag/In Touch bullshit to me that they have been repeating for the past four or five years.
Anyway, it thought it was interesting that two magazines owned by the same company are running such diametrically opposed stories. It sounds like a classic case of ass-covering, don’t you think?
Maritza, some of these people can’t move on. They lives are all about brangelina. They say that they hate them, tired of them, call them manipulators and yet they continue to post on all their threads. I find something very very wrong with people like that. They can’t live without brangelina and they call the fans loonies, they should look in their mirrors first before calling other people names
All I meant is that People magazine, unlike the other tabloids, doesn’t speculate or write stories based on tips. They usually defend a couple by writing positive press until there’s no more speculation going on; that is, until it’s become painfully obvious that a split has happened. They are never the first to write about ANY major break-up. They write stories based on the official statements made by a celeb. Until then, they ignore negative gossip and use “positive sources”. They were positive about the Brad and Jen stories too, until they made the announcement to split.
@alex: “why is their ‘sources’ any truer than PEOPLE’S? I will take People Magazine any day…”
Umm…isn’t that a contradiction? Unnamed sources are still what they are, no matter what mag you read.
@Cheyenne: Where’s the link? I myself would think an official statement made by Doug Pitt is bound to have some weight, and I can’t find it. Help?
I’m confused….according to the article Jolie is #32 (making $1 million more) but aniston is #31…
@Essie: Can you prove that Doug Pitt is talking to People Magazine, and that it’s not the same “family source” that all the media has been using to claim different opinions? As I’ve asked Cheyenne, I really would like a link to something believable. If he’s really come out publicly and defended his brother’s relationship, then I’m sure there’s no foundation for the split rumors. It would be awesome, if nothing more, just to put this media circus to rest for good.
@ bek: People magazine was among the first to write about the Aniston/Mayer breakup (the first one). What People doesn’t do is run a story based on tabloid rumor until they check the rumor out for themselves. They were the first to bust Star Magazine’s story that Angie and Brad had gotten married in New Orleans a couple of years ago. In fact, People reported that when Star found their story was falling apart, Star tried to bribe a parish priest $3,000 to back them up. The priest declined.
Cheyenne: I’m not attacking you. I just thought maybe you’d read something credible with that whole Doug Pitt thing. I too, find it amusing that two sister tabs would print different stories. There is no conspiracy theory.
And as for People Mag, they never run with a split story until a couple has confirmed it. There was speculation that Aniston and Mayer broke up long before People confirmed. They won’t actually confirm a Brangie break-up until Brangie themselves come out and say so. Until then, they’ll spin things positively. It’s what they do for ALL celebs. To their credit, it IS nice of them to assume all negative gossip is BS until celebs confirm a break-up. It just makes them a little less exciting to read sometimes, IMO. Thanks for answering my question.
When they go out they act….and you’ve gotta give it to them both are good actors. Let’s face it she won an oscar. When the mags start saying they are breaking up they head out in full time acting mode. They probably even have a script. ; )
people who are pro- brad and angelina are not stupid people who have been sucked in by “propaganda”. i NEVER liked aniston and pitt together. (not that it matters what i, or anyone else, think. we are looking at these couples from a purely superficial, outsider’s stance). to me, they were never a “match”. her “persona” annoyed me–don’t like her look, hated her show. brad’s look and films (for the most part) i liked . angelina is a gorgeous gal who has been in a lot of fun movies. i like them together, simply because they appeal to my aesthetic sensibilities. i like angelina’s “internationalist” image. their children are adorable–adopted and biological. hopefully, the kids are feeling happy, loved, and safe. me thinking they are a cute family has nothing to do with being “brainwashed” by “propaganda”. and just because i think they are a cute family doesn’t mean i’m going to fall apart if they don’t end up staying together. but i’m not one of these weirdos wishing ill upon them or aniston. geesh.
PJ, I get your point, but the idea that any of these rags, including People, engages in journalism is laughable.
I believe People ran the story because Jolie and Pitt asked them to or at least cooperated with the story. It makes sense from a business standpoint, also. If enough bad press is out there that investors or potential investors in any of their projects are getting nervous, then it would make sense for them to give assurances that all is well. An article in People would probably go a long way to reassure them.
People magazine has turned into the least trustworthy celebrity source vs. Star magazine. All of their celeb stories, if not a puff piece, are crap these days. Anonymous friend sources are the only quotes they get anymore.
The only place People manages to be something I’d believe is in their non-celeb stories, which are usually pretty good.
The blood on Angelinas hand is from the movie set SALT. Which I plan to see, should be really good.
By the way I also think People magazine is more credible than the rest also. Just because they don’t go bashing every week on the JP family doesn’t mean they aren’t credible. For endless makeup drama go to Star, Us, In Touch and Life and Style. So many women love drama filled fueds or in this case made up. True or not they feed off of it.
I do have to say this. I would love just once to see someones name as source. That said, if you watched E! the guy that does their couples and up to date reporting, he said that he was at the DGA’s and said that they looked like they were having a date night. And they seemed very happy and in love. And that they seemed very genuine when he was talking to them.
I also have been wondering about this stay away from the camera stuff. The last time this went on we found out that she was pregnant with the twins. And wait, I think they did that with Shilo too. I guess we’ll see.
@Bek: Unfortunately, there are no official statements by Doug Pitt anywhere. Star Mag and In Touch have both said repeatedly that Doug Pitt has urged Brad to leave Angie and the Pitt family prefers Aniston to Angie. Neither tabloid has produced any source for this statement and neither has said it came directly from Doug Pitt.
Now Life and Style says Doug Pitt never urged Brad to leave Angie, and says that the Pitts do not prefer Aniston to Angie. Again, Life & Style does not mention any source for this.
Bottom line: you can’t believe anything that any tabloid has reported regarding anything Doug Pitt may or may not have said, because they have no source for it. And you can bet your bottom dollar that neither Doug nor any of the other Pitts have talked to any tabloids.
As to what I believe: I don’t think Bill and Jane Pitt would hold a woman who has given them six beautiful, healthy grandchildren, three by birth and three by adoption, in less regard than a woman who never gave them any grandchildren at all. And I think that Angie, or at least Lady Z, may have had a beneficial effect: since Z joined the Pitt family, Brad’s sister and brother-in-law have adopted two little boys from Ethiopia.
kmag- Me tooo! I am very confused.
They look photoshopped or Brad has a shit load of make up. Anyone?
My a**! If Mother Angelina and His Hunkinship Brad are so secure why feel the need to add to the clutter of all the other stories? I guess because gossip junkies like me will read or at least scan the ‘propaganda’. Whether it is Team Aniston or Brangelina, it all sounds and tastes the same. I think they are ruining it for themselves because of the satiation.
Raven, you have a point! This is gossip — pure speculation, not reporting (as in facts!).
I think this is the second time People has written a denial of the split rumors. Are they protesting too much?
She is a goddess-love her and all she does for the world. To bad Aniston is busy getting her face redone, maybe she could have done somethihng positive with her fame like Angie
Ok let me get this correct…you find one positive story about Brad and Angelina in the past two freakin weeks, and you are suspicious because it comes from the only magazine with a creditable journalistic background and because thats the only type of people Brad and Angelina would associate themselves with, like any sane person would, you think its somehow some kinda damage control tactic by Brad or Angelina?
*sigh* The world we live in.
Whoa, time out. You mean Jennifer Aniston did ‘Friends’ for 10 years, a show that has gone into perpetual syndication all over the world and she’s not raking in any royalties for that? Jen, get on the phone to your agent! And Brad didn’t make any $$ for ‘Benjamin Button’? What is the world coming to when he’s only pulling in a measly $13.5 mil? That won’t buy beads for his beard!
That list is very suspicious. I think it was planted by Angelina’s camp to try and remind us of the her status. No way was she paid 20 mil for salt, studios don’t pay female leads that much. Bet this next year VF will report that she was paid 30 million for Tourist.
I wonder why people magazine finds this need to tell us that Brange is so loved up and kissy kissy, it was a public event, there were people, it was recorded, no one needs to tell us what to see.
I’ve never believed Doug Pitt said those things about his brother. They are supposedly close and who in their right mind would publically talk crap about their brother against his wishes? Well, other than Kate Gosselin’s loser brother. I can’t imagine it is true, just makes the haters foam at the mouth.
Not sure which is funnier, the stories of their constant splits or the cover-ups they plant to deny their split.
I really dont care either way. I just wish they would stop bringing Jen into everything that has to do with Brangolina. I cant imagine how sick of it Jen is.
@Phowie: Aniston received royalties from “Friends” ever since the show ended. In fact, the royalties made up more than half her annual income. From what I have heard, the royalties ended at the end of 2009.
@Ursula: Are you still fantasizing that Brad is going to run back to Aniston and take Shiloh and the twins with him? Forget it. It ain’t happening.
According to The-numbers.com, Angelina’s salary for “Salt” is $15 million plus backend, the same that she was paid for “Wanted”.
Well according to the Hollywood Reporter AJ was paid $20 million+ percentages for Salt and The Tourist and received $40 million for Wanted. As for 2008 JA received $27 million for 3 movies while AJ received $14 million for one. AJ a mother of 6 doesn’t have time to film 3 movies a year.AJ recieves 15-20 million+ a film JA 7-8 million. As for the People story Ken Baker Of Enews( who is very anti Angie also said they were affectionate and happy and never left each other side ).People is far more pro Jen than pro Angie ,Hell they put JA on the Back cover of the year end special despite the fact she didn’t have any hit movies abd the put her on the cover instead of Haiti or Sandra Bullock who won the GG and had 2 hit movies
@Kim: That $40 million Angie got for Wanted must have included $25 million in backend payments. Her contract was for $15 million plus backend.
People are far up Brangalina’s asses. Everyone knows that. I am not saying a split is imminent but they always plant stories there. They sold baby pics to them etc. So no I don’t believe People. It is writing down what B&A want them to write down
I loved the poster who used the word Internalionalist. Amazing! Is that even a word?
Chey chey, sorry to disappoint but I do not wish Brad on Jen. He is such a pathetic loser with hardly any brain cells. Contrary to your belief, no one still thinks Brad Pitt is such a catch he no longer looks good and we all know he is a cruel mean person. Who wants that?
I really wish we could have a ban on all AJ, BP and JA related stories. But people wouldn’t be able to handle that I guess. Say what you want about all 3 still making movies and getting paid big bucks, but this excessive press has hurt them. AJ hasn’t been box-office gold. She may have gotten an Oscar nod for Changeling, but it wasn’t out long. I think her biggest hit might have been Kung Fu Panda. JA hasn’t had a hit either. Personally, I still don’t think AJ can carry movie after movie by herself. I don’t think people like her all that much. Brad’s career, it seems is doing the best. Although, I saw Inglorious Bastards ’cause of Q. Tarentino, not for BP. Frankly, I’m getting sick of looking at their stupid faces.
@Ursula: Well if Brad is such a cruel, mean person, why is it that, according to your own words on here, you can’t wait for him and Angie to break up? If he’s such a monster then they deserve each other, don’t they?
Hypocrite much?
“I don’t think Bill and Jane Pitt would hold a woman who has given them six beautiful, healthy grandchildren, three by birth and three by adoption, in less regard than a woman who never gave them any grandchildren at all.”
Seriously? There is making a comment and having an opinion and then there is being downright nasty. “a woman who never gave them any grandchildren at all”. That’s what she’s been reduced to in your eyes. Nice.
Its all a deflection of the real Truth. Nobody wants to hear ” I told you SO.. JMO