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Sofia Vergara is the highest-paid TV actress: Who's number two?

Sofia Vergara's lucrative endorsement deals put the bilingual actress on top of the list for the second year running. Sofia Vergara stars on ABC's 'Modern Family.'

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Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Sofia Vergara is TV's highest-paid actress, according to Forbes.
  • By Reuters

Sofia Vergara of ABC's successful TV comedy "Modern Family" is the highest-paid actress on U.S. television for the second consecutive year with estimated earnings of $30 million, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

The Colombian-born actress easily surpassed Emmy and Golden Globe-winner Mariska Hargitay of NBC's "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and Kaley Cuoco, a star of CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," who both tied for second with $11 million.

"As the reigning queen of celebrity endorsement deals (thanks largely to her bilingual portfolio), Vergara's earnings over the past year reached $30 million - making her far and away the highest-paid actress on prime time," Forbes.com said.

Vergara, 41, has clothing and home goods lines sold at Sears Holding Corp's retailer Kmart and lucrative endorsement deals with PepsiCo Inc's Diet Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble Co's CoverGirl and others.

Sisters Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian of the E! cable reality series "Keeping up with the Kardashians" shared the No. 4 spot with earnings of $10 million each along with three other women, including Melissa McCarthy of CBS's "Mike & Molly."

McCarthy scored a hit on the big screen in "Bridesmaids," a film that grossed about $288 million at the global box office, and in "The Heat" with Sandra Bullock.

Like Vergara, the Kardashian sisters have a clothing line and other licensing deals.

Forbes compiled the list by estimating earnings for the year to June 2013 from the actresses' TV work, endorsements, residuals and advertising work, and by talking to agents, managers and lawyers.

Amy Poehler, a first-timer on the list, was No. 13. The "Parks & Recreation" star earned $7 million and also signed a book deal.

Forbes estimated that the top 20 actresses and reality stars earned a combined total of $183 million.

The complete list can be found at Forbes.com

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