BEYONCE THE FORBES BULLY

The Star Economy
Hollywood's Top-Earning Moguls In The Making
Lacey Rose, 01.11.10, 06:00 AM EST

From Beyonce to Lil' Wayne, meet 12 budding celebrity powerhouses.

In Pictures: Hollywood's Top-Earning Moguls In The Making

LOS ANGELES -- Who has bigger potential for Hollywood wealth than a beautiful, world-famous hit singer?

Easy: a beautiful, world-famous hit singer who also boasts a big time acting career, a fragrance line, a fashion label and slew of endorsement deals--all before she turns 30.

Call it Hollywood's new reality--or in this case, the résumé of Beyonce Knowles. In an era where stars are many and revenue streams are shrinking it's increasingly important for celebrities to do a lot more than sing (or act) for their suppers. And nobody's done that better than the 12 stars on our list of budding moguls.

In addition to singing and acting, many members have either a fragrance (see 50 Cent) or fashion line (see Jessica Simpson) on their résumé. In Simpson's case the bulk of her $20 million earnings for the year came from her fashion empire (shoes, clothing, accessories). Others lend their A-list names and faces to brands (Taylor Swift) and record labels (Akon).

In Pictures: Hollywood's Top-Earning Moguls In The Making

To identify these rising moguls, we took a look at Hollywood's top earners at or under 35 with income coming in from more than one industry. (For consistency, we calculated pre-tax earnings from all entertainment-related ventures between June 1, 2008, and June 1, 2009.) To make the cut these stars also had to have the potential to grow as celebrity powerhouses in the years to come.

Take the multitalented and multimedia Knowles. Still shy of 30, the Queen B raked in an estimated $87 million during the year-long period, thanks to a diversified portfolio of music, film, fashion and lucrative endorsement deals.

For the year ending in June, Knowles dropped a double album, starred in two films (Obsessed and Cadillac Records), performed at both the Oscars and the Presidential Inaugural Ball and embarked on another international tour. She also expanded a fashion collection that includes casual and formal lines as well as jewelry and eyeglasses, and added sponsors Nintendo ( NTDOY.PK - news - people ), Crystal Geyser and General Mills ( GIS - news - people ) to a roster of endorsers that already included L'Oréal, Giorgio Armani and Samantha Thavasa handbags.

Similarly high on the list is comeback queen Britney Spears, who banked $35 million during the 12-month period. After a very public meltdown in 2007, the one-time pop princess has climbed back into the hearts and playlists of her many fans. Last month, Billboard Magazine named her the second-best selling act of the 2000s. Off stage, her collection of top-selling perfumes continues to fly off shelves, and she currently serves as the face of Candie's shoes.

And then there are those in the $18 million club: actress Katherine Heigl and songstress Taylor Swift. Heigl supplemented her big- and small-screen acting career with a production company (alongside her manager mother) and endorsement deals. Swift lends her face to companies like Sony ( SNE - news - people ) and L.e.i. clothing when she isn't busy recording, touring or picking up awards. Up next, the 20-year-old talent, whom Billboard recently named artist of the year for 2009, will test her acting chops with a debut role opposite her ex, and fellow teen heartthrob, Taylor Lautner in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy Valentine's Day.

1. Beyonce Earnings: $87 million
2. Ryan Seacrest Earnings: $38 million
3. Britney Spears Earnings: $35 million
4. (TIE) Miley Cyrus Earnings: $25 million
4. (TIE) Jonas Brothers Earnings: $25
4. (TIE) Kanye West Earnings: $25 million
7. (TIE) Jessica Simpson Earnings: $20 million