Hollywood studios routinely shell out $20 million paychecks and serve up rich percentages of a film's revenue to A list stars like Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp on the premise that their famous faces ensure packed movie houses around the world on opening weekend.

But are these superstars worth it?

According to Forbes' first-ever list of Ultimate Star Payback, the movie stars who deliver the best bang for the buck aren't the industry's top earners. Matt Damon, the soft-spoken leading man in box office winner The Bourne Ultimatum, turns out to be Hollywood's best investment. For every dollar Damon got paid for his last three roles, his films returned $29 of gross income. And, surprisingly, former Friends star Jennifer Aniston is Hollywood's most profitable actress, despite duds like Rumor Has It. For ever dollar the former Mrs. Pitt was paid for (more...)