The entertainment industry relies on an "it" factor for the stars who sell its product that is stubbornly hard to quantify. You can have it overnight, and lose it just as easily.
Movie stars' realiability at the box office has faded in recent years, and the traditional label system is no longer the only path to superstardom for a musician.
In Business Insider's second annual list of the most powerful entertainment stars right now, we look at who has best proven their might in the past year. They're not just the highest-earning, but the most visible, the most talked-about, the most respected, the most valued, and the most in-demand at our current moment.
Our No. 1, Beyoncé, proved once again that the old rules don't apply, and she's more than able to keep the masses interested in her every move, whether that's a politically charged "visual album" or the carefully curated way she presents herself online. No celebrity is more in touch with how to engage their audience in 2016. (Though our No. 2 is certainly hustling just as hard.)
Here are the 20 most powerful stars in Hollywood in 2016, ranked:
SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest box-office bombs of 2016
20. Margot Robbie
In 2016 Robbie went from “it” girl to being a bona fide box-office draw in her own right. The main reason is her bringing beloved DC Comics character Harley Quinn to the big screen in “Suicide Squad,” and coming out of it as everyone's favorite. Though the movie split fans, her twisted performance was universally praised — and just about every girl wanted the costume. She’s now prepping for her own Harley Quinn spin-off movie and another feature in which she plays disgraced skater Tonya Harding.
19. Adam Driver
After wowing us last year as the conflicted Kylo Ren in “The Force Awakens,” Driver showed his diversity this year with three very different roles. A scientist looking for answers in “Midnight Special,” a bus driver who loves to write poetry in “Paterson,” and a priest trying to teach Christianity in 1600s Japan. There’s no question Driver is building an impressive filmography and making himelf a household name in the process.
18. Millie Bobby Brown
The 12-year-old went from virtual unknown to one of the most recognized faces in 2016 thanks to her breakout performance as the Eggo-eating Eleven in Netflix’s hit “Stranger Things.” With a sinister look and shaved hair, we couldn’t turn away whenever Brown showed up on the screen. We can’t wait to see where she takes Eleven in season two of the show.
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