Jennifer Lawrence is world's top earning actress

Jennifer Lawrence has maintained her title as the world's highest paid actress for the second straight year.

The Hunger Games star, 26, earned an estimated $46 million before tax from June, 2015 to June this year (16), topping the list compiled by editors at Forbes magazine.

The past year saw Jennifer appear in the final instalment of the film series which made her a Hollywood superstar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in David O. Russell's Joy, and star as Mystique in superhero sequel X-Men: Apocalypse.

Despite remaining at number one on the annual Forbes list, her earnings were down from $52 million the previous year, and well below the figure made by the highest paid male actor, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, who took home $64.5 million over the same period.

Meanwhile, Ghostbusters star Melissa McCarthy climbs up to second place, earning an estimated $33 million, with Scarlett Johansson taking third with $25 million.

Rounding out the top five are Jennifer Aniston, whose earnings of $21 million included money received for endorsement deals from top airline Emirates, beverage brand Smartwater, the Aveeno skincare range, and Living Proof shampoo, and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who banked $17 million.

Also included in the top 10 are Charlize Theron, Amy Adams, Julia Roberts, Mila Kunis, and Bollywood star Deepika Padukone.