This week Forbes Magazine released its list of the most reliable box office stars. The magazine sent out forms to entertainment insiders to rank more than 1,400 actors based on their merits and potential to make a movie a hit.

The top of the list reads as you might expect, with stars like Will Smith, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the top. But the bottom is where things get slightly muddled, and some of the stars of the CW’s top shows are extremely low on the list, including Supernatural‘s Jensen Ackles and Smallville‘s Kristin Kreuk.

Out of 1,411 actors, Kreuk came it at 1,401 and Ackles was ranked at 1,402. Despite having rabid fan communities online for their TV work, it seems Hollywood still doesn’t see them as potential big-time movie stars.

Smallville also has Erica Durance at 1,356 and Tom Welling at 907. And while Jensen fans may be disappointed, at least he made the list. Jared Padalecki wasn’t even on the original list of 1,411 actors being judged. Maybe that will change after this weekend with Padalecki starring in Friday the 13th.

One theory for the low placement of these stars (as opposed to Gossip Girl stars liked Blake Lively and Chace Crawford, who made the top half) could be location. Most of the entertainment bigwigs are in Los Angeles or New York City, and for shows like Smallville and Supernatural that film in Vancouver, it’s hard for them to have the same high profile or go out for meetings and auditions in their free time.

One Tree Hill also had two stars on its list, with Sophia Bush ranked 1,044 and Chad Michael Murray at 788. It’s strange that Murray would make the list considering the fact that he hasn’t starred in a movie in the last three years.

Though the CW stars are low on the list for now, the top of the list shows that former teen TV stars can make it big. Will Smith was in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and tied for second are Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp, from Growing Pains and 21 Jump Street. So clearly there’s potential to move from teenage TV heartthrob to major movie star.

Also, DiCaprio’s first movie was Critters 3 and Depp’s was A Nightmare on Elm Street. So maybe starring in My Bloody Valentine 3-D and Friday the 13th is just what Jensen and Jared need to climb to the top of the movie ladder.

-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: Forbes
(Image courtesy of the CW)

John Kubicek

Senior Writer, BuddyTV

John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire DiariesSupernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.