Sofia Vergara, the “Modern Family” star is the world’s highest-paid TV actress for the fifth year in a row, according to Forbes.
With $43 million (before management fees and taxes), her salary is almost $20 million more than that of runner-up Kaley Cuoco, who earned $24.5 million.
Unlike the list of film stars, she makes more than her male counterparts.
Aside from the hit ABC sitcom, Vergara has lucrative product endorsements, from Head and Shoulders to Ninja Coffee Bar to Careisma Scrubs.
Cuoco, who stars in “The Big Bang Theory,” tied with Vergara on last year’s Forbes list, when both actresses netted $28.5 million. Unlike the Colombian actress, Cuoco’s haul is based almost solely from her pay as Penny on the CBS comedy, for which she commands $1 million per episode.
Like Vergara, Cuoco and her TV ensemble costars negotiated their salaries together, making the gender wage gap on TV narrower than on film.
Mindy Kaling is the biggest climber on this year’s ranking, rising from eighth to third place with $15 million, between June 2015 and June 2016.
“Quantico’s” Priyanka Chopra cracked the list for the first time, coming in eighth with $11 million. The Bollywood star can also soon be seen on the Hollywood big screen alongside Dwayne Johnson, the world’s highest-paid actor, in the “Baywatch” movie.
Mariska Hargitay and Ellen Pompeo rounded out the top five, while Kerry Washington, Stana Katic, Julianna Margulies, and Vergara’s “Modern Family” co-star Julie Bowen made this year’s top 10.
The 15 highest-paid stars commanded a combined $208.5 million, $43.5 more than last year’s total of $165 million.
TV’s highest-paid actresses:
1. Sofia Vergara — $43 million
2. Kaley Cuoco — $24.5 million
3. Mindy Kaling — $15 million
4. Ellen Pompeo — $14.5 million (tie)
5. Mariska Hargitay — $14.5 million (tie)
6. Kerry Washington — $13.5 million
7. Stana Katic — $12 million
8. Priyanka Chopra — $11 million
9. Julianna Margulies — $10.5 million
10. Julie Bowen — $10 million
11. Pauley Perrette — $9.5 million
12. Patricia Heaton — $8.5 million
13. Emily Deschanel — $7.5 million (tie)
14. Julia Louis-Dreyfus — $7.5 million (tie)
15. Zooey Deschanel — $7 million
