Tyler Perry is Hollywood’s highest paid man

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Actor Tyler Perry, who has  his own film and TV studio in Atlanta, ranks atop the list of  Hollywood’s highest paid men, in a new ranking from Forbes.com  that includes director Steven Spielberg and singer Elton John.
Perry topped the list by making $130 million from May 2010  to May 2011, financial website Forbes.com reported on Monday.
The actor, writer, director and producer had his Hollywood  breakthrough with 2005 film “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” which  he created as a stage play. He dressed in drag to portray  tough-talking family matriarch Madea, a crowd-pleasing role.
That movie led to a number of sequels, and most recently  Perry has seen success producing the television show “Tyler  Perry’s House of Payne,” which runs on TBS.
Holding the No. 2 position on the Forbes list with $113  million is producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He is behind the  “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and had a hit with the  latest movie in the series, which came out this year and earned  over $1 billion at global box offices.
Steven Spielberg ranks at No. 3 with $107 million, Forbes  said. The last film directed by Spielberg was released in 2008,  but he has kept himself busy on a number of projects since then  where he was the producer or executive producer, including  action flicks “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” and “Cowboys &  Aliens” and the upcoming science fiction TV show “Terra Nova.”  You can watch Terra Nova Online.
“Rocket Man” singer Elton John, whose most recent tour  grossed over $200 million, takes the No. 4 spot on the list  with $100 million in earnings, Forbes said.
TV personality and music executive Simon Cowell, whose “The  X Factor” singing contest is about to make its U.S. debut,  ranked No. 5 with $90 million, Forbes said.
Writer James Patterson, author of “The Women’s Murder Club”  series of novels and such titles as “I, Alex Cross,” ranks at  No. 6 on the Forbes list with $84 million.
Rounding out the top 10 on the entertainment world list  are: Phil McGraw, the TV psychologist and Oprah Winfrey protege  from the show “Dr. Phil,” with earnings of $80 million; actor  Leonardo DiCaprio with $77 million; radio shock jock Howard  Stern with $76 million; and pro golfer Tiger Woods with $75  million.
DiCaprio and Perry were the only actors on the list, and  Forbes.com noted that Perry earned most of his money from  producing and directing projects instead of appearing  on-camera.