Thursday April 5, 2001

The Power 100

It's the land of fame and fortune. But Hollywood can also be fickle! So who's on top in Tinseltown this year? Premiere Magazine is out with its annual list of the top 100 Hollywood power brokers. And the winners are:

Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are the reigning king and queen among actors; with Hanks at Number 11 and Roberts at Number 12.

Michael Solomon, is editor-in-chief of Premiere magazine. He says Roberts rules with her Oscar for "Erin Brockovich." He says, "Julia Roberts couldn't have had a better year."

What about Tom Hanks? His mega-hit "Cast Away" makes him a survivor. Solomon says, "We call Tom Hanks the immunity idol. He can do no wrong in Hollywood."

But who's bigger than the stars? The media moguls! Number one on the power list: Sumner Redstone, chairman of Viacom. Right behind him is Gerald Lavin, the powerful CEO of AOL/Time Warner. And number three, that sly fox, Rupert Murdoch.

Solomon says, "To be a player in Hollywood you have to be on the power list."

Guess that makes Russell Crowe a player! The "Gladiator," who wasn't even on the list last year, was this year's big winner coming in at number 41. And "Perfect Storm" propelled George Clooney from 82 to 42 this year. Solomon says, "He made some great choices instead of just going for the money."

Cameron Diaz jumped to 57 from 87 with a little help from "Charlie's Angels" and Jennifer Lopez made the list after "The Wedding Planner" and her latest album.

But sliding down the power list were John Travolta and Meg Ryan. Solomon says, "'Proof of Life' and her relationship with Russell Crowe cost her some of the America sweetheart."

Travolta suffered because of sci-fi stinker "Battlefield Earth." Solomon says, "It wasn't just a bad movie, it was a collossally bad movie.

But hey John, just making the list isn't all that bad.