Tyler Perry is Hollywood's highest paid man

Filmmaker Tyler Perry, recipient of the CinemaCon Visionary Award, accepts his award during CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, in Las Vegas, Nevada March 31, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

Actor Tyler Perry, who has his own film and TV studio in Atlanta, ranks atop the list of Hollywood's highest paid men, in a new ranking from Forbes.com that includes director Steven Spielberg and singer Elton John.

Perry topped the list by making $130 million from May 2010 to May 2011, financial website Forbes.com reported on Monday.

The actor, writer, director and producer had his Hollywood breakthrough with 2005 film "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," which he created as a stage play. He dressed in drag to portray tough-talking family matriarch Madea, a crowd-pleasing role.

That movie led to a number of sequels, and most recently Perry has seen success producing the television show "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," which runs on TBS.

Holding the No. 2 position on the Forbes list with $113 million is producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He is behind the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and had a hit with the latest movie in the series, which came out this year and earned over $1 billion at global box offices.

Steven Spielberg ranks at No. 3 with $107 million, Forbes said. The last film directed by Spielberg was released in 2008, but he has kept himself busy on a number of projects since then where he was the producer or executive producer, including action flicks "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "Cowboys & Aliens" and the upcoming science fiction TV show "Terra Nova."

"Rocket Man" singer Elton John, whose most recent tour grossed over $200 million, takes the No. 4 spot on the list with $100 million in earnings, Forbes said.

TV personality and music executive Simon Cowell, whose "The X Factor" singing contest is about to make its U.S. debut, ranked No. 5 with $90 million, Forbes said.

Writer James Patterson, author of "The Women's Murder Club" series of novels and such titles as "I, Alex Cross," ranks at No. 6 on the Forbes list with $84 million.

Rounding out the top 10 on the entertainment world list are: Phil McGraw, the TV psychologist and Oprah Winfrey protege from the show "Dr. Phil," with earnings of $80 million; actor Leonardo DiCaprio with $77 million; radio shock jock Howard Stern with $76 million; and pro golfer Tiger Woods with $75 million.

DiCaprio and Perry were the only actors on the list, and Forbes.com noted that Perry earned most of his money from producing and directing projects instead of appearing on-camera.