Jennifer Lawrence tops Forbes list of highest-paid female actors

The 26-year-old star was followed by Melissa McCarthy, who notched a big gain to claim the runner-up spot, Forbes magazine reports.

Lawrence, the star of the Hunger Games franchise, has earned $US46 million ($A60 million) before taxes over 12 months in part from a big upfront fee for her upcoming movie Passengers, also starring Chris Pratt, Forbes said.

The earnings mark an 11.5 per cent drop from her 2015 total.

McCarthy has $US33 million ($A43 million) in earnings, up $US10 million ($A13 million) from her estimate for the year before, in part from her payday for the reboot of Ghostbusters.

Scarlett Johansson of Captain America: Civil Wars was third at $US25 million ($A33 million), down nearly 30 per cent from 2015.

The rest of the 2016 top 10 include:

Jennifer Aniston — $US21 million ($A27 million)

Fan Bingbing — $US17 million ($A22 million)

Charlize Theron — $US16.5 million ($A21.6 million)

Amy Adams — $US13.5 million ($A17.6 million)

Julia Roberts — $US12 million ($A16 million)

Mila Kunis — $US11 million ($A14 million)

Deepika Padukone — $US10 million ($A13 million).

The totals cover from June 1, 2015 to June 1 of this year, before fees and taxes.