Estimated earnings: $2m

Age: 17
Profession: Actress

Panettiere starred in her first commercial at 8 weeks old before hitting the soap opera circuit as a child. She went on to appear in films alongside A-listers like Denzel Washington, Kate Hudson and Hilary Swank. Panettiere has become a fixture in the tabloids since hitting it big on NBC's unexpected hit 'Heroes', where she plays cheerleader Claire Bennet, saver of the world. Next she plans to release her debut album.