Julia Roberts tops list of high-paid actresses

Oscar-winner Julia Roberts has topped The Hollywood Reporter's annual list of the highest-paid actresses for the second straight year - bringing in $20 million (Ј11.59m) per film - despite taking time off for motherhood.

Australian &to=http://english.pravda.ru/fun/2002/07/23/33052.html' target=_blank>Nicole Kidman came in second place, with a $16 million to $17 million (Ј9.27m to Ј9.85m) per-film price tag, followed by Walk the Line star Reese Witherspoon and actress-producer Drew Barrymore, who each command $15 million (Ј8.7) per project.

Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz each have a $10 million to $15 million (Ј5.8m to Ј8.7m) asking price.

Jodie Foster and South Africa native Charlize Theron reputedly earn $10 million to $12 million (Ј5.8m to Ј6.9m) per film, while Jennifer Aniston rounds off the list at $9 million (Ј5.2).

"These are bankable women," said Bob Dowling, editor and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, which has compiled the highest-paid actresses list for four years. "They represent something quite positive and they're being paid for it", reports Scotsman.

According to BBC, Roberts, whose last film was Ocean's Twelve, will return to acting in 2006 making her Broadway stage debut.

She will appear next April alongside Paul Rudd, who played actress Lisa Kudrow's husband on TV's Friends, in a revival of Three Days of Rain.

The 1997 play written by Richard Greenberg features two interlocking stories taking place in different decades.