Cameron Diaz earned some $US50 million ($A56.44 million) over the past year to take the title of Hollywood's top-earning actress on Forbes annual list, the business magazine has reported.

In total, Hollywood's 10 top-earning actresses collectively banked $US244.5 million ($A275.99 million) between June 1, 2007 and June 1, 2008, the report said.

Diaz's main earnings came from her lucrative role as princess-turned-ogre in DreamWorks' Shrek franchise.

But she also starred in the spring comedy, What Happens in Vegas, and has nabbed large pay cheques for her role in the adaptation of Jodi Picoult's best-selling novel My Sister's Keeper, and a fourth instalment of Shrek.

Diaz was followed on the rich actress list by British beauty Keira Knightley, who earned $US32 million ($A36.12 million) from starring roles in movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Atonement.

Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston earned $US27 million ($A30.48 million) with starring roles in the family comedy Marley & Me and the dating ensemble He's Just Not That Into You. Her income was boosted by payments from the syndication of Friends and endorsement deals for Glaceau's Smartwater and Heineken.

Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow tied for fourth place on the list, with each banking some $US25 million ($A28.22 million) during the year. Filling out the top ten were Jodie Foster, Sarah Jessica Parker, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Angelina Jolie.

Though the actresses earnings were impressive by almost anyone's standards, they were still much lower than those for top-earning male actors.

According to a recently published Forbes list, Will Smith was the top earner with $US80 million ($A90.3 million), followed by Johnny Depp with $US72 million ($A81.27 million) and Eddie Murphy with $US55 million ($A62.08 million).

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