Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting joins Sofia Vergara atop Forbes’ highest-paid TV actress list

Gloria Delgado-Pritchett has a high-earning new neighbor, and her name is Penny

Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting of “The Big Bang Theory� has joined “Modern Family’s� Sofia Vergara at the top of Forbes’ highest-paid TV actresses list. The sitcom stars each nabbed an estimated $28.5 million pretax between June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2015, according to the financial magazine.

Vergara, whose endorsement deals with CoverGirl and Head & Shoulders have padded her income, has topped the annual list for the past three years playing fiery Pritchett family matriarch Gloria on the ABC comedy. The Colombian star also earns a pretty penny from Latin World Entertainment, the talent-management and entertainment-marketing firm she co-founded in 1994.

But the “Hot Pursuit� star isn’t giving up the top spot so easily. The 43-year-old’s estimates have steadily increased over the previous three years -- $19 million estimated in 2012, $30 million in 2013 and $37 million in 2014 -- but this year’s tally marks the first dip since she laid claim to the TV title.

Meanwhile, Cuoco-Sweeting, 29, who the plays quick-witted girl-next-door Penny on the popular CBS comedy, notched the No. 3 spot last year with $11 million. She climbed the ranks with assists from her Priceline.com endorsement deal and the reported $1-million per episode salary she achieved after contract negotiations involving “Big Bang� costars Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki. (Parsons led the pack of highest-paid TV actors last month, earning a reported $29 million.)

Joining the list for the first time were Vergara’s “Modern Family� costar Julie Bowen ($12 million), “Bones� star Emily Deschanel ($6.5 million), “NCIS� star Pauley Perrette ($6 million) and “House of Cards� Emmy winner Robin Wright ($5.5 million).

Rounding out the Top 10 were “Grey’s Anatomy� star Ellen Pompeo; “Law & Order: SVU’s� Mariska Hargitay; “The Good Wife� star Julianna Margulies and “Parks & Recreation� star Amy Poehler, who tied for the No. 6 spot; and “The Mindy Project� star/show runner Mindy Kaling. Wrapping up the 10 were “Scandal’s� Kerry Washington and “The Middle’s� Patricia Heaton, who tied for No. 9.

The earnings estimate is calculated before subtracting management fees and taxes and based on data from Nielsen, IMDb and other in-the-know sources and insiders.

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