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By John Burman
Forbes staff
Will Smith won't take home anything shiny at this year's Academy Awards, but members of the entertainment industry say he's tops at mining real gold, a more critical skill given the current economy.
Smith ranks first in our inaugural Forbes Star Currency survey, an exclusive look at what the business side of Hollywood really thinks of more than 1,400 working actors when it comes to ensuring the financial success of film projects.
In Pictures: Hollywood's 20 Most Valuable Actors
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Smith was the only person to receive a perfect score of 10, edging out Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Angelina Jolie, who all tied for second with scores of 9.89. Others in the top 20 include Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon.
It's an all-star cast that shows consistent muscle in attracting financing and generating global box office revenues. They also have hefty celebrity personas that grab press attention, creating valuable awareness for their projects. There's a considerable amount of acting talent there, too.
Consider that, of the top 20 names alone, 16 have been nominated for an Academy Award in the acting categories. Collectively, they have 69 nominations and 15 wins, pending the outcome of the Feb. 22 ceremony, which sees Pitt, Jolie and Streep up for honors.
Are the names in the upper reaches absolute guarantees for box office performance? Of course not. (Just ask George Clooney about "Leatherheads.") But they will help you get a film made.
The Forbes Star Currency survey was sent to entertainment industry members globally, asking them to use a provided scale in ranking 1,400-plus actors as individuals on a range of attributes regarding their participation in a film, including the actor's ability to attract significant financing to a project with their involvement; if their presence guarantees theatrical distribution; if they significantly drive theatrical box office performance; and if their involvement is an essential component in securing rights deals for revenue streams including DVD, pay/free TV, etc.
The survey's debut is Forbes' most recent entry in compiling data and analyzing the business of entertainment.
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