"To become a celebrity is to become a brand name," Philip Roth said. Money is still the most important metric of celebrity . Veteran star Anthony Hopkins blames money and too much publicity for the antics of troubled stars like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. The Oscar winner believes young people "go a little nuts" in Hollywood because they're too inexperienced to handle such a level of stardom. Hopkins says, "When you get too much money, you take yourself too seriously. When you get too much publicity, you end up in jail or driving cars drunk as a mother. I think it's to do with money and power, prestige and fame, and I think people go a little nuts. It sad, but I'm not making a judgment. Actors do take themselves seriously. I've had a great life as an actor and I've been well-paid for it, but I try and keep it light."

Sure, Mary-Kate Olsen struggled with an eating disorder. And yeah, Lindsay Lohan has dipped into a drug or two. But not all young stars are troubled, despite what the tabloids would have you believe. But all young superstars do have one thing in common: money, and lots of it.

In fact, according to Forbes' annual listing of the World's Most Powerful Celebrities, the 11 youngsters on the list earned some $127 million in just one year. And not one of them has even cracked the quarter-century mark yet. But perhaps this shouldn't surprise us. After all, age is no barrier to starring in a hit movie, cutting a chart-topping album or winning a Grand Slam tennis title. Indeed, in some endeavors, younger bodies are much preferable to older ones.

The darling duo Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen underwent a high-profile split with their manager, and Mary-Kate had a public struggle with an eating disorder before abruptly departing New York University. But despite the drama the twins manage to keep their pocketbooks padded with royalties and income from their own production company and retail outfit. In all, the various ventures added up to $21 million for the Olsens.

And then there are the young and beautiful. Looks alone have done it for Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima. With a pretty face and a body to match, the leggy brunette has cat-walked her way into deals with Victoria's Secret, Maybelline and Telecom Italia Mobile. It all added up to $4.5 million for the stunner.

Then there are the celebrities who cash in on being, well, celebrities. Case in point: Paris Hilton.

Daddy isn't the only one making the big bucks anymore; the dippy heiress pulled in $6.5 million, mostly for just being herself. She makes headlines for her flashy wardrobe, exotic nay, illegal pets and high-profile feuds. But she makes her money as a "reality"-TV star and best-selling author, as well as by plugging her perfume. The list includes also Hilary Duff, Amanda Bynes, Lindsay Lohan, Maria Sharapova, Ashlee Simpson and others.

To come up with our list of the world's best-paid young celebrities, we’ll list bellow some of the most powerful (adults) actors, athletes, chefs and directors based on their media exposure (magazine covers, TV and radio mentions), Web presence (number of Google hits) and earnings. Each year Forbes ranks top-earning entertainers based on a combination of total earnings and an ability to generate buzz. You don't need an Oscar nomination to land on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. What you need is money and clout.

No. 1 -- Oprah Winfrey
This year Oprah reclaims her No. 1 ranking after falling to No. 3 on last year's Celeb 100 list. Worth an astounding $1.5 billion, Oprah is poised to build an even larger empire with two primetime reality shows this fall.

No. 2 -- Tiger Woods
This golf legend broke new ground the past year by becoming the first professional athlete to bankroll $100M in one year and the No.1 golfer in Official World Golf Rankings.

No. 3 – Madonna
Last September the world's favorite 'Material Girl' earned an entry in the 'Guinness Book of Records' as the highest earning female singer in the world, bolstered by her blockbuster international 'Confessions' tour.

No. 4 -- Rolling Stones
This band keeps on rolling in the dough in their comeback years. The Rolling Stones' 'Big Bang' tour, which started with a bang in 2005, shot to the top in 2006 as the biggest grossing tour of the year, breaking all previous records.

No. 5 -- Brad Pitt
Pitt has ruled the headlines since his involvement with Angelina Jolie. From their illicit affair to his role as a new father, the buzz has been all about Brad.

Hollywood can make actors and actresses very, very rich. Or it can make them very well respected. So which of Hollywood's finest are seeing the biggest payday?

Tom Cruise $67 Million

The Mission Impossible star grabs gobs of ink for his couch-jumping antics on Oprah, his over-the-top wedding in Italy and his new baby, Suri. But on the career front, things have been quiet since Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone publicly cut his movie company's ties to the star last summer. Cruise will return to the big screen later this year in the Robert Redford-directed drama, Lions for Lambs.

Cast Of Sopranos $52 Million

Though an end has been rumored before, the spring season of HBO's mob hit will be its sixth and final. For those who failed to tune in, a cleaned-up version of the series is now airing on cable's A&E.

Denzel Washington $38 Million

Despite box-office disappointment Déjà vu, Washington continues to rake in big bucks for his silver screen fare. Next, he'll star opposite Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's crime drama American Gangster, a film which paid him twice.

Johnny Depp $29 Million

Among Hollywood's bankable stars, Depp proved box-office gold in last summer's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The blockbuster grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Tom Hanks $29 Million

Despite critic pans, Hanks' The Da Vinci Code, the film adaptation of Dan Brown's best-seller, proved a box-office smash. The film raked in close to $800 million at box offices worldwide. To come: He'll play opposite real life son Colin in The Great Buck Howard and a scandal-plagued congressman in Charlie Wilson's War.

Popular Video on Youtube.com: Money Power Fame

Popular Video on Youtube.com: Money Power Fame