Zeta Jones tops celebrity adverts earnings

WELSH actress Catherine Zeta Jones has been revealed as the celebrity who earns most from an advertising deal, thanks to a reported €16m payment to promote telecoms giant T-Mobile.

The glamorous star led a top 10 compiled by US industry magazine Adweek, easily beating fellow Hollywood beauties Angelina Jolie and Australian redhead Nicole Kidman.

They each pocketed €9.6m to endorse St John and Chanel No 5 respectively.

Zeta Jones’ campaign for T-Mobile was only used in America. Adweek said her two-year, €8m-a-year contract signed in 2002 to appear in TV and print advertising was still considered one of the most lucrative endorsement deals ever made. It was renewed last year, the magazine said.

Brad Pitt was the only man to make the list, taking eighth place for his €3.2m deal to promote Heineken.

In fourth place was Jessica Simpson, who netted €6m to advertise Guthy-Renker.

Next came Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron, who each made a reported €4.9m for deals with Estee Lauder and Dior.

Julia Roberts was said to have earned £2.8 million from fashion designer Gianfranco Ferre, and Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz £2.2 million each from L’Oreal.