The 100 most powerful women in Hollywood

While it's easy to see what roles women are playing on-screen, it's always intriguing to see what roles women are playing behind the scenes in Hollywood.

The Hollywood Reporter released its 18th annual Women in Entertainment Power 100 list for 2009, and it's impressive to see how many women are presidents, chairmen (should that be chairpeople?), and other power players. They've  also  all been weathering difficult financial times and fundamental changes (such as technology and the internet) affecting the industry.

The list was topped by a tie: Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal and Disney Media Networks co-chairman Anne Sweeney came in first place.

Among those on the list are CBS Network Television Entertainment Group president Nancy Tellem,  Twentieth  Century Fox Television chairman Dana Walden,  CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler, MTV Networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath, A&E  Television   Networks president and CEO Abbe Raven, and HBO Entertainment president Sue Naegle.  

In terms of celebrities, Oprah Winfrey came in second as Harpo chairman, and Ellen Degeneres, as host of The Ellen Show and American Idol judge, in at number 26. The most powerful actor, Meryl Streep,  charted at number 48, followed by Tina Fey at number 51.

The highest ranking producer was Kathleen Kennedy (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Persepolis, The Sixth Sense) at number 19, followed by Laura Ziskin (Spider-Man 1, 2, and 3, As Good As It Gets) at number 30.