Forbes’ 2015 list of the 100 most powerful women in the world is mostly made up of political leaders, business executives and philanthropists, but a select few entertainers did make the cut.
The women on the list, released Tuesday, were ranked based on financial resources, media mentions, as well as worldwide influence and impact.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest-ranked celebrity was Oprah Winfrey, who was named the 12th-most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. As an African-American, Winfrey represents just one sector of the small but diverse club of famous females included in the complete list of 100.
Singer Beyonce Knowles (#21) was the highest-ranked performer on the list, followed by comedian Ellen DeGeneres (#50) and actress/director Angelina Jolie (#54). Two Colombian-born celebrities also made the list: actress Sofia Vergara (#57) and singer Shakira Mebarak (#81).
At 25 years old, singer/songwriter Taylor Swift (#64) was the youngest person on the list. This year marked her first time being included in the annual compilation of world shakers.
With the possible exception of Vergara, all of the women listed above can be identified solely by their first names — arguably the mark of true fame.
Chinese actress Yao Chen (#82), has not become a household name in the United States but was included on the list because of her massive social media following, which totals nearly 80 million in her home country.
Other famous women who made the list include Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour (#28), Huffington Post Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington (#61) and Fox News Channel anchor Greta Van Susteren (#99).
Singer Lady Gaga and model Gisele Bundchen were the only two celebrities who made the list in 2014 but were cut this year.
Clint Davis is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
