Angelina Jolie is officially the #1 most admired woman in the world: yay or nay?

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Angelina Jolie is officially the most admirable woman in the world! It’s just science and polling, obviously. A poll was conducted by YouGov in which they surveyed 25,000 people in 23 countries to discover who people would name when asked about the most admired men and women in the world. While there are some big differences between individual country rankings, the overall result has Angelina Jolie being named the #1 Most Admirable Woman. WORD. Bill Gates was the world’s #1 Most Admirable Man. Brad Pitt came in at #13. Here’s the top ten (compilation rankings, not individual countries).

1. Angelina Jolie
2. Malala Yousafzai
3. Hillary Clinton
4. The Queen
5. Michelle Obama
6. Celine Dion
7. Oprah Winfrey
8. Julia Roberts
9. Aung San Suu Kyi
10. Angela Merkel

The Brits still consider the Queen the most admirable woman, and they gave most admirable man to Stephen Hawking. I’m not sure what to think about this for Jolie. I mean, I do love her and I hope that most people realize that she is trying to make the world a better place. But Malala Yousafzai is just an amazing, inspirational young woman. Aung San Suu Kyi is like the Nelson Mandela of Burma/Myanmar. Angela Merkel is arguably the most powerful woman in the world. Is La Jolie really MORE admirable than them? And how in the world does Julia Roberts outrank Merkel?!

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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179 Responses to “Angelina Jolie is officially the #1 most admired woman in the world: yay or nay?”

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  1. Lilacflowers says:

    Sarah Palin was robbed!

  2. Trillian says:

    What is Celine Dion doing on that list?

    • Sarah says:

      And Julia Roberts.

    • greenmonster says:

      My thought exactly! Is this 1997 all over again?

    • Jenni says:

      I’m asking what is Angelina Jolie doing on that list?

      • Annie says:

        There are many reasons why people admire other people, it could be because of their beauty, talent or their causes or what they have done for their govt or countries. It’s not a surprise why Angie came on top. She has beauty, arguably the most beautiful woman in the world, she has talent, not only that she is the most sought HW actress but also a director now. Most of all, she is a tireless humanitarian as UNHCR Special Envoy. Angie may not be the most popular celeb in the US anymore but in Asia and Latin America, even in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, she is the most popular well loved by her millions of fans in those region.

        I think we can describe her as a combination of Malala because she Support causes such as against sexual violence; Oprah/Ellen/Julia, because she is a celebrity; Bill Gates, because she is a humanitarian and also donates to good causes; the queen of England, well because she is the Queen of HW and lastly, Michelle Obama or Hilary Clinton, because both are good mothers to their children despite having their own careers, like Angie does.

      • Lilian says:

        In December YouGov gathered open-ended nominations from panellists across 34 countries, asking them simply: “Thinking about people alive in the world today, which [man or woman] do you most admire?” These nominations were then used to compile a list of the 25 men and 25 women who received the most nominations and were nominated in at least 2 countries. An additional 5 popular local figures were added to the lists for individual countries.

        In January, 23 of the 34 countries were polled again in representative* surveys, where respondents were asked two questions: “who do you truly admire?” where they could make multiple selections, and “who do you MOST admire?”, where they could pick only one. These two numbers were then combined into the score (displayed to the right of each name above.)

        By asking respondents those two questions, we can understand both the breadth (i.e. global reach) and the intensity of a person’s support, which we regard as both important measures.

        Altogether, we polled in countries that constitute nearly two-thirds of the world’s population. However, some parts of the world were better represented than others, so we weighted up the impact certain countries had on the final scores and weighted down others so the global scores more accurately reflect the breakdown of sentiment in the world overall.

        *All of the surveys were conducted online, and in many of the countries the internet penetration is low to the point where the sample can only be said to be representative to the online population. The countries where only the online population is polled are China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Singapore. In the remaining countries the surveys can be considered nationally representative.

      • Katherine says:

        YouGov has pretty accurate polling in various areas – politics, popular culture, etc.

    • Jedi says:

      Queen Celine is a national treasure!! (ha)

    • Someonestolemyname says:

      George Clooney must be spinning. Lol

  3. Luca76 says:

    I mean she is a great person and I admire her more than Oprah and Julia Roberts but it’s disapointing that Malala and the world leaders aren’t on top.

    • Esmom says:

      I hear you. It really does seem like the list more about name recognition than anything else, which tells you where priorities generally lie with people these days.

      • Jessica says:

        Right. Or y’know, scientists and doctors and inventors and so on.

        With the inclusion of Celine Dion and Julia Roberts it really just reads as a list of well-known women. Plus Brad Pitt came 13th on the men’s list? The British princes and Beckham in the top 10? That bigoted creep Farage at 11?

        This isn’t a list of important people or people who have acheived great things, it’s just a list of famous names, some of them admirable, some of them just famous.

      • Soulsister says:

        @Esmon – which tells you where priorities generally lie with people these days.
        ——————————————————————————–
        Yeah they lie with a woman who’s been advocating for the vulnerable for the last 14 years, whose been to refugee camps, war zones, helped facilitate a change in the articles of the Geneva Convention to acknowledge rape as a crime against humanity, whose contributed to the building of schools in countries where woman have to fight to get an education, who started an organisation with Microsoft, KIND, to ensure that undocumented children in the US get decent legal representation, that started a scholarship, in the wake of the devastation caused in Haiti, that trains young Haitians to become lawyers so they can adequately represent their fellow Haitians.
        I could go on and on about the pretty outstanding work that Angelina has done throughout the years but regardless of if I did, I think that haters are just gonna continue to hate.

      • Artemis says:

        @Soulsister:

        If that was the criteria than you’re going to have to explain Julia Roberts’ good deeds and kind heart.

        I’ll be waiting.

      • Soulsister says:

        I have no idea why Julie Roberts is on the list. I hope the wait was worthwhile. LOL

      • Esmom says:

        Soulsister, I’m not hating and I don’t disagree that for a celeb Angelina stands out for her humanitarian efforts. All I meant was that the inclusion of Angelina — and also and especially Julia Roberts — reflects how celeb-focused our society has become.

      • Artemis says:

        So what was the point then of summing up her achievements then? You know people didn’t vote for Jolie only for her humanitarianism. LOL. In fact, you yourself said granted it can be seen as an indictment of the media that it takes an actress to bring these issues to the forefront of global debate,
        ACTRESS, you said it yourself. Which is why other celebs are on there so obviously you would let me wait because you knew the answer in the first place.

        You were acting deliberately obtuse.

      • Tarsha_ says:

        Soulsister, Esmom’s comment doesn’t surprise me at all. But you and I both know Angelina more than deserves to be on that list. Its good that the list isn’t filled with politicians, that would really be cheap name recognition. Its good that people who contribute to society (ok, wtf to Julia Roberts, I agree with) are recognised, not corrupt politicians. People you can look up to and admire. That is NOT world (political) leaders.

    • Lucinda says:

      More people know how Angelina is than Malala. Largely because her job gives her more face time. Also, Angeline has been doing humanitarian work for longer than Malala so even in that aspect, there has been more time for her name to solidify in people’s minds. It doesn’t downplay Malala. She is just younger and had less time to be known worldwide.

  4. jinni says:

    So 25,000 people represents the world? Sure it was taken in different countries, but come on that’s not even anywhere near at least a quarter the human population. This is like that she’s the most successful female director of 2014 award thing were she had like no competition so isn’t even really an honor to win.

    Those people were just throwing out names of the most famous person they knew.

    • Lady D says:

      They took opinions from 34 countries. I’d say they at least tried for diversity.

    • Katherine says:

      Yes, their polling methodology has proven highly accurate in the past on even more important issues.

      jinni, you really don’t seem to understand how polling works. There is plenty of reading material that can catch you up. 🙂

  5. als says:

    What is admirable about Merkle?

    • Sarah says:

      Merkle has arguably emerged as the leading political voice in the free world. She’s stood up to Putin and been far more out front on issues than the US. Which is fine – I am glad to have someone else stepping up occasionally!

    • SpookySpooks says:

      She is the most powerful woman in the world. That is something to be admired.

    • Tapioca says:

      She worked her way to becoming the most powerful politician in Europe despite having ovaries and coming from a very modest East German background.

      But obviously she’s less admirable than a product of Hollywood nepotism who would rather sell her children to the media wolves than make a donation out of her own pocket.

      • Anny says:

        I love your comment about “despite having ovaries”!

      • ennieHarry says:

        ??
        Why so pressed?
        The poller either suggested the names just mixing famous people or people (young and older) just said whatever they wanted.
        I know some girls who just talk about Harry Styles every-single-day, they are far from American, and don’t have a clue.
        At least AJ besides being a HW celeb, works in the humanitary field and has demonstated she cares. Important political figures have recognised this.
        .
        I would ask why are several (no humannitarian or scientists) celebs above a woman who is a fighter from Myanmar, a country that has so many displaced living in Thailand.
        Why is AJ singled out for criticism yet again?

      • Tarsha_ says:

        Selling her children? Wow, how irrational and vitriolic. I’d rather admire a UN Special Envoy that some politician. Politicians all should be excluded from polls such as this, as they are mostly corrupt and as admirable and trustworthy as a used car salesman. Politicians included on the list? What a joke that is.

    • Anny says:

      Angela Merkel is a leading political figure in Europe and also head of European economical giant. She is really admirable woman no matter what you might think about her political standing. She does a good job in difficult times. So yeah. I personally find her way more admirable then celebrities as Angelina Jolie, Celine Dion (what???), Julia Roberts and Oprah. The list is ridiculous.

      • Soulsister says:

        I get the impression that the people of Greece done share your love of Angela Merkel.

      • Anny says:

        Yeah, who can blame them…their government screwed so, so bad. It is terrible for people of Greece but this blame for their current struggles cannot be put on Merkel’s shoulders. She has responsibility towards Germans as well as the rest of the EU.

      • Soulsister says:

        @Anny – and far superior intelligence
        ——————————————————————————————————-
        What an interesting assumption to make. You know this how exactly?

      • Anny says:

        Well, Merkel was a research scientist with a doctorate. Quantum chemistry and physics. Just saying. That doesn’t make one of them more valuable than the other generally. Just how I personally see it.

      • Paul says:

        Merkel? Really? Merkel is the responsable from division in Europe and poverty. Europe will pay a big price because of this woman. She is the most hated German leader after Hitler. Everything Helmut Kohl and Willy Brandt did for peace and union in Europe Merkel is destroying it. Regarding Puttin, you are joking LOL
        Germany only has financial power. Without an army and under the protection “Submission” to the USA, strategically German is a litle more then Luxemburg.

      • Flan says:

        The people of Greece have not just borrowed lots, but also been given a huge amount of money over the years by countries in the EU. Germany chief amongst those countries.

        So, not too interested in what Greece thinks anymore.

    • spaniard says:

      I’d rather take AJ any day over Mrs.Merkel. AJ has empathy and compassion for people, so yes Angie is more admirable. But I think Malala Yousafzai should be on the top of this list, she is right now the most inspirational human being, no matter her gender.

      • ennieHarry says:

        I think Angelina Jolie would agree with you.

      • Anny says:

        Well Merkel has her accomplishments and far superior intelligence so I think she’ll be okay. But really – I admire what Jolie does but to be fair she has only responsibility towards herself and her family whereas Merkel is responsible for the whole nation and basically the EU as well given that we all live off German money. What she does might seem opposite of compassionate but is far easier to be compassionate and emphatic when you are in Jolie’s position in comparison to Merkel.

  6. emma says:

    Celine Dion? I’m Canadian and even I don’t get this.

  7. HONEYB says:

    I will take some solace in the fact there was no Kartrashian on this list.

  8. Andrea1 says:

    Poll or no poll I’m glad Angie is being recognised and admired for her humanitarian work. So I’d say bravo!

  9. Maya says:

    YouGov is not some cheap poll site or anything – it’s actually a legitimate and respected site.

    I love Angelina and I do admire her for the way she has turned her life around and is genuinly doing humanitarian work to help people as much as she can.

    But I also admire Aung San for her perseverance to fight for freedom.

    Queen Rania for her fight to give women the basic rights such as driving, voting and education in a Muslim country.

    Angela Merkel for her intelligent way of leading Germany away from the atrocities they did in their past and to a new better country.

    I support Malala but I personally don’t think she has done anything yet to be worthy of that Nobel Prize.

    • FingerBinger says:

      Malala didn’t do anything except defy the Taliban and get shot in the head.

      • HONEYB says:

        Face. And yes exactly.

      • lucy2 says:

        And recover and go on fighting, on an even larger scale.

      • Maya says:

        Like I said I support her but has she actually made a difference in the world to get that Nobel Price?

        Yes she stood up to the Taliban and got shot but has she helped other girls in any way? As she brought awareness to the issue since her shooting?

      • FingerBinger says:

        She’s become an advocate for girls to get an education in her native Pakistan as well as other countries. To answer your question ,yes she’s helped other girls and brought awareness to the issue since her shooting.

      • Flan says:

        She was already campaigning for the rights of girls and getting fame both in Pakistan and abroad before she got shot .

        Why do you think they were after her?

      • Kristin says:

        Malala is a teenage girl deliberately targeted by the Taliban and shot because she dared to try to educate herself and others. Since her shooting, she has continued to advocate for girls despite the continued threat to her life. Saying that she hasn’t really done anything except get shot is like saying Rosa Parks shouldn’t be recognized as an admirable women because all she did was refuse to give up her seat.

    • Janet says:

      I am seriously down on Aung San Suu Kyi for her refusal to address the problem of the abominable way Muslim people are treated by the majority Buddhist population in her country. That situation is a time bomb waiting to explode.

    • 123 says:

      You do know that women in Jordan can drive, right? You do know that they can also go to school, and vote, right? She is the queen of Jordan– I really think you need to read a little more about the world. Aside from mixing up Jordan and Saudi Arabia, you do know that most women in Saudi Arabia have a college degree, right? They have entire universities just for women. Please, do not use the phrase “Muslim country” like being Muslim means backward.

  10. Red says:

    Meh. They didnt come to my country. Malala, Michelle, Ang San, Oprah, Hillary, Merkel and maybe the Queen (former British colony, its complicated!) would make the list. ”Angelina who?”

    • Reed says:

      Jolie.

    • BangersandMash says:

      AAAAAAAGGGHHHH!!! This list just pisses me off, and really reminds me of what a thoroughly entertainment based society we live in. Angelina, Celine, And Julia Roberts legit… legit beat out Aung San suu Kyi!! Nevermind the fact that my HERO OR ALL HEROES!! the Managing Director of the IMF, Her Empress Christine Lagarde is no where near this list.
      And what about the enterpreneurial genius that is Ory Okolloh???

      AAggh!!!

      I guess all our lives are utterly useless unless we walk down the streets and have a camera in our faces, aye?!

      Angelina who indeed!! And I’m a fan of her, but this list… We are WAY too entertainment based.

  11. InvaderTak says:

    For what? Her philanthropy is good and all but seriously, a lot of people are charitable. Ok, she adopted from desolate places. Again, so do many people. Her admiration seems to be more the result of a good pr campaign than anything.

    • Anny says:

      I agree. I don’t want to diminish her work but seriously – she is an actress, a celebrity and nowadays an average director. Her humanitarian activities are for sure admirable but for her to make the top of the list or even the list is a bit…silly. But I actually think she deserves it more than other listed celebrities.

    • really17 says:

      Angelina does not have PR, so that can’t be the reason. What she does have is talent and a great work ethic. It’s not Angelina’s fault that she makes great entertainment and people seem to admire that- look at all the people worshiping football. I think she is also admirable for her many years of charitable work, but perhaps that make me an outlier. The only woman on that list that “uses” their kids for attention is the Queen, but she admires Angelina, too, so there you go.

      • norah says:

        perhaps there are more deserving pple than aj but at the same time it is because of her very high profile personality and image as an actress but as a unhcr ambassador for the last 14 years that she has managed to bring lots of attention to different places and different issues. that huge summit in london abt abuse during conflict against women esp was not only because of her film in 2011 but that she managed to raise awareness of the issue. that is a good start. what abt when she went to see the pple in kurdistan and wrote an op ed for the nytimes – and made pple think – the point is that her high profile has shone a light in places that most usual politicians dont have the time for – she was one of the few who talked about the 2000 women and kids killed in nigeria while the world was preoccupied with paris. and besides pple were free to choose who they believed in for the most admired so their votes showed that aj was who they admired. so kudos to her and everyone else on the list

      • InvaderTak says:

        “Angelina does not have pr”

        … … ….

        Yeah, sure.

      • Anny says:

        She does.
        EDIT: she uses PR the same way as every other celeb in HW does. She does it mostly herself but that doesn’t mean she does not have an image to maintain or doesn’t care about her publicity. Plus whenever she promotes something (Unbroken) – it has its own marketing budget and helps to put her in the spotlight too. But I don’t think it is something to be ashamed of. She does a great job in PR and branding.

      • MadMenluv says:

        are you kidding??? they all have PR, that’s how good her PR is to make you think she doesn’t have it…how else do you think she went from being seen as a homewrecker of America’s sweetheart to Mother Teresa in a few years???

      • Soulsister says:

        I’m a huge AJ fan and am not aware of who her PR representative is. Seeing that you posters are so convinced that she has PR can you actually put a name(s) to her PR representative?

      • Andrea1 says:

        @Norah your comment is spot on and eloquently stated! I couldn’t have said it better
        Angie has no PR its a well known fact in hollywood which even the hollwood reporter stated!
        Even Lainey stated it! She said getting to interview Angie is a big deal and wasn’t easy because she doesn’t have PR and you’d have to deal directly with her (she has to read and approve anything she wants to get down because she doesn’t have handlers) which is usually a slow process. The only person she has working for her is Holly her partner…

      • Janet says:

        Angie does her own PR. She has a manager but she doesn’t have a paid publicist.

      • Anny says:

        Again – her not having a PR makes her better than average starlet? How exactly does that work? She crafts her image, she uses PR and so on. She is just better at public relations than your average celebrity so she does it herself. She has PR on her projects like Unbroken or Maleficent. She just doesn’t have a PR representative for herself. I don’t really get why is this thrown around so much. It is not a proof of anything. She still has her image. She is publicity conscious. She still is a celebrity. And? It is her job after all.

      • Hmmm says:

        A lot of celebrities do charity, but some do it very quietly and not of the front cover of the Daily Fail.

      • O-)(-O says:

        If your wedding pictures and your new born pictures get top billing on People mag you have very good PR representation. Whether she does it herself (which I highly doubt, she ain’t the one calling the paparazzi to come to a random bookshop in Sydney to take favorable pictures of her and her kids and please frame out the nannies, LOL) or she has a publicist, she is a high profile celebrity who has to maintain an image that gives her the most favorable exposure.

    • ennieHarry says:

      It is not just being charitable, many are. She works in behalf of refugees and has advocated agaist war crimes and war rape.

      • ennieHarry says:

        my touchpad is doing tricks with my posts, it changed my name!

      • Someonestolemyname says:

        Congratulations Angelina, well done. Good for her being recognised for her work.

        And she does have PR, whether she calls it a Manager or a Agent, Angelina definately has Pr. She is not fielding calls from magazines, for photoshoots and setting up appointments to talk to the networks, this stuff goes through her Agents or Managers first.

        She has always had PR of some sort, under the Umbrella of an Agent or Manager.

    • Nancy says:

      I agree. This is about name recognition, that’s all. Jolie has some pet charities, yes, good for her, but I doubt if the cameras stopped, she would do even the bit that she does. When I think of all the women scientists and politicians like Elizabeth Warren who are actually in the trenches, trying to make the world a better place, this list makes me pretty disheartened.

      • Paige says:

        @ Nancy You really think this woman has been doing a “bit” of work as you call it for 14 years. A person doesn’t go to dangerous territories and put time into “pet projects” for 14 YEARS. Obviously this is a passion. I really don’t think she deserves the No. 1 spot but it’s rather insulting to act like she hasn’t done anything but took photos with people in third word countries. Oh man

      • Flan says:

        “pet charities”… really?

        She does way more than that. If there is one famous person that is the first to talk about disasters that are mainstream media are not interested in, it is Angelina Jolie.

  12. Soulsister says:

    Well done Angelina. I think that it’s great that there are people who do recognize the good work that she does in trying to highlight issues that desperately need to be addressed.

    Well done to Malala as well. I think that the work that this inspirational young woman does should be such a guiding principal to us all.

    Even though I am somebody who is very interested in world affairs, I only became aware of the assassination attempt on Malala through the article that Angelina wrote in the Daily Beast. And granted it can be seen as an indictment of the media that it takes an actress to bring these issues to the forefront of global debate, but I’m so glad that we have somebody like Angelina who is willing to do this.

  13. Amcn says:

    She is well loved internationally. And admired doesn’t necessarily mean the person who has made the most significant impact for the future of humanity. It just means people admire her. She has a good heart, she is charitable, she’s adopted orphaned children, she is married to a famous and well loved man, she uses her fame to bring attention to international issues, her mastectomy and many other reasons are why people hold her in high regard. And a poll is usually based on a sampling of populations. And no, they cannot ask everyone on earth. If they could I’m sure she would rank higher :). Good on you Angelina!

  14. db says:

    I am an admirer of Jolie, but this “poll” isn’t very impressive. Not only is the number of people polled insignificant, YouGov appears to be a publicly traded PR firm. Meaning that the voters were given a list of people (who had probably paid to be on the list) to choose from. The voters themselves come from a focus group. Sham.

  15. Sam says:

    Oh, that is slightly embarrassing. I get that Angelina does a huge amount of awareness work for refugees and human rights, and that is admirable. However, there are people on that list who have literally risked their lives or barely escaped death for standing up for what they believe in.

    I guess part of it has to do with admiring people who seem relatable to the average person. Most people can’t identify with Malala or Aung San Suu Kyi. We can admire them, but we can’t really relate to their stories because they’re just so amazing. Angelina might be a wealthy woman, but she also has a life that a lot of people can identify with.

    Although I do question how Brad Pitt could land on such a list. I know he has that foundation to help restore New Orleans, but it’s been so plagued by scandals and bad choices, I’m not sure if that’s what he’s landing on the list for.

    • Maria says:

      he is on the list because he is pretty and married to Jolie. he is not even good in his profession.

      • norah says:

        you are talking abt brad – make it right in new orleans and which is undertaking projects in different states and on indian reservations. the same brad pitt who is not only an oscar winning producer for 12 years and has been nominated 2 times for best actor inthe past 5 years – the same brad pitt who has had 1 hit after another in terms of the movies he acts in – the same plan b who is doing great work in film tv and mini series – lewis and clark selma blonde etc the list is endless – that is his production company that has planned at least 5 different movies to be produced by his company. so if brad is chosen among the menfolk then i like to think that pple know what he is trying to do with his work. and he is still pretty!

    • BNA FAN says:

      Sam, what scandal is MIR foundation plagued by? Please supply link to scandal? I would like to read about it. What I have read is, the people are thankful to Brad for all his help. I remember reading that some of the home owners were given a deal that if they stay in their homes for five years their mortgage will be taken care of by the MIR foundation and some homes were completely furnished by the MIR foundation at no cost to the homeowners. There were a small problem with the board/wood on their porch and as soon as the problem was brought to their attention it was fixed to the homeowners satisfaction.

      • Esmom says:

        Yes, I’m also curious about any scandals with MIR, this is the first I’ve heard anything suggesting they are not legit.

      • Sam says:

        The first one was several years ago – the foundation did not have an adequate vetting process for the people it was selecting to live in the new homes, and the media uncovered that several of them were either con artists who were profiting off the homes or they were simply too well off to qualify. It was embarrassing, to say the least.

        The second one is more recent. Multiple people living in the homes complained about mold and environmental hazards. An investigation revealed that the builders had used wood in the homes that was deeply unsuited to the humid, hot conditions of New Orleans and that it was become water-logged and moldy quite fast. They had to do extensive repairs to about 30 units to replace the improper wood with adequate wood. They maintained that the builder was at fault, but the builder maintained that the foundation selected the wood.

        I can’t fault Brad for wanting to do something decent for people who lost their homes. But if you’re going to create a non-profit to help people, it’s imperative to run the thing correctly. It’s not saying that the foundation is not legit or fraudulent, but it does suggest that it’s not really being run in a competent manner.

    • BNA FAN says:

      Sam, I have not read any “scandal” on Brad’s part, in your reply. There will always be people trying to take advantage in certain situations. Ask our government about the thousands of people who were trying to take advantage of the “Sandy hurricane” relief fund for those who lost their homes. Thousands of people now have to return money to the government. In your first comment you made it appears Brad was taking advantage of the people he was trying to help, shame on you for using the word “Sandal”.

      • Soulsister says:

        @BNA – Sam, I have not read any “scandal” on Brad’s part, in your reply
        ——————————————————————————–
        LOL. He/she is just reaching and very badly, I might add. It would be interesting to see what this Sam person has done themselves in regards to helping the people of NO recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

        The fact that MIR has now expanded is is building affordable homes for people in Missouri and on Native American Reservations indicates, to me anyway, the amazing work that this organisation does.

      • ChrisinLA says:

        I live near New Orleans. People who have actually dealt with MIR on its projects–not those who are hoping to benefit from it–say it is a joke and has been incompetently run and still has made barely a dent in the problem in addition to amateurishly making completely preventable mistakes over a long period of time. It’s a vanity/PR project.

  16. scout says:

    Weird list, that one.
    Julia Roberts and Celine Dion? Just for existing? What did they do for humanity, did I miss something? I can understand #9 and #2.

  17. SpookySpooks says:

    8 out of 10 woman are from the Western world. No 1 is an actress.
    Also, the Queen?!?! For what? And Michelle Obama is great, but she is merely the wife of someone more important.
    This list is bulls**t.

  18. Maria says:

    almost 20 years ago i would have agreed with Roberts and Dion. but come on. especially what actually is Roberts doing thats admirable? using her power to squash the ex of her husband?
    you could also argue about Winfrey, she certainly has done more than them and achieved way more but she is also going down fast for quite some time now.

    Clinton is way too hawkish to deserve any respect. plus the UK voting for lazy Kate, seriously?

    Merkels position is actually surprising. she is the most powerful woman but that also means having to be the bad cop. germany is financing most of europe nowadays and they cant pay more. when merkel says “its enough” there are hitler comparisons everywhere.

    • Kiddo says:

      Like someone said above, it’s name recognition. I also wonder if those polling gave options or if these were names off the top of people’s heads.

    • enike says:

      Maria: ..
      ” plus the UK voting for lazy Kate”…..???

  19. Anny says:

    I think the list is (as I also stated above) ridiculous. Angelina Jolie is an admirable celebrity but to place her on the list with far more accomplished women as Merkel, Elizabeth II., Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi is stupid. Really. Same goes for Celine Dion, Oprah, Julia Roberts (what, what, WHAT??? I mean Vera, anyone?)
    Some of the people listed risked their lives or freedom to do some good in this world. I actually find this list a bit offensive.
    Also, Michelle Obama is an admirable woman but she is a wife of the president of the USA. How that works in comparison to actual political figures such as Merkel or Clinton? Le sigh.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      The President’s wife always makes these types of lists. No matter who the woman is or who the president is.

    • Anny says:

      Well Michelle Obama is quite likeable and I don’t really have a problem with her. I don’t mind her and she seems like a strong level-headed woman. Also she supported her husband throughout his career which is not something I personally would choose to do but it is admirable. But to make a list? No way. I hope it did not come across as a diss towards Michelle.

    • Nancy says:

      I agree. To put these movie actresses, who may do some good with the tens of millions they made in a very vacuous career, on the list and leave off serious people who risk their lives for others, is pretty insulting to all women. I can’t believe the women here gushing over “Angie” being on the list.

  20. lucy2 says:

    Strange list, I can’t figure out Julia Roberts or Celine Dion being on there at all.
    Jolie does do a lot of charitable/humanitarian work, which is great, but like others have said, I feel there are many others who should be on the list ahead of her.

  21. BNA FAN says:

    I’m a fan of Brad and Angelina. I’m so proud of Angelina for all she’s doing to make a difference for good in the world. I’m saying YAY. There are many women doing work to make a difference in the world but Angelina is known more around the world for her work so why not her. Love you Angelina, keep up the good work.

    • Camil says:

      “There are many women doing work to make a difference in the world but Angelina is known more around the world for her work so why not her.”

      Honestly that sounds sad, there are a lot of people trying to change the world and we don’t know their names. There are people who fight, die and suffer but, of course, Angelina Jolie is known more.

      Nothing against her but this poll is ridiculous.

  22. Ginger says:

    I do admire 6 out of the 10 listed. However, I would have put Malala at the top, Aung second then Angie because of her tireless work for refugees. But Celine and Julia Roberts??? Really? Why are they on this list? They are definitely entertaining people to be sure but what have they done otherwise? It seems to me like they should be on a “most powerful entertainers” list or something like that.

  23. Mae says:

    Dear God in Heaven… She shouldnt be on the list at all! She is a self-promoter. If a camera isn’t around she isn’t interested… He image is her main job!!! Ugggg I’m over Her narsasistic ways

  24. Reed says:

    Good for Angie. Now let the hate begin…

    • Soulsister says:

      Touche

      • Kiddo says:

        I’ve done an informal survey of comments in the past, and the hate levels on JA posts exceed those on AJ posts. For the record, I don’t hate or love either.

      • Maya says:

        @Kiddo: I have also done an informal survey about how many of your comments where you call people who write negative stuff like masculine/skeleton, acting/directing, fake/saggy boobs, red carpet style etc on JA’s threads and then on AJ’s threads.

        The result is 100s of comments from you on JA’s and big fat ZERO on AJ’s……

        I will now drop the mike and leave the stage.

      • Kiddo says:

        There isn’t the level of vitriol on AJ’s posts. There is some, but not to the degree in numbers and in consistency. She is mostly admired on this site. Maybe the really nasty ones are moderated out. What is there to say? I think both she and Aniston are decent enough actresses. I’ve said that Angelina has her heart in the right place with her causes. I’ve stood up for Angie’s position when people like Etheridge criticized her for having mastectomy. But the people who post negative things on Aniston’s threads then come to Jolie’s threads and write praises. So why would I interfere with that? I never said Aniston was great; don’t think she is. But on this site, she is an underdog in terms of people not liking her. No one worships Aniston. That’s the way it is. Don’t care, I worship neither.

        And that post about “knocking udders together” was beyond the pale and a nasty excuse to bring in an actress who wasn’t even the subject of an article. Were you the author of that? I don’t remember any masculine skeleton thing, but I’ll take your word for it.

      • Janet says:

        @Kiddo: Did your survey include other web sites or just this one? I ask because comments get posted on other sites that would get people banned on this one.

        Aniston gets a lot of ridicule. People laugh at her and scorn her for her silly PR antics (fake baby bumps, etc.). But for actual hate, she doesn’t get a tenth of what’s been thrown at Jolie. I’m talking about the death wishes at her and her children, racist comments about the children, etc. ad nauseum.

      • ennieHarry says:

        Kiddo, many nasty post get moderated, and when someone says that AJ gets more nastiness thrown upon her, many say “but not on CB, stick to this site”.
        .
        This may be true because here the moderators are on point.
        Elsewhere, with very, very few exceptions, most sites get a lot of ugly posts against AJ and a few years ago, it was even worse.
        .
        Nowadays, most sane people has moved on, but there are still whole sites and forums dedicated to hate particularly on her. Really nasty.
        .
        What the exwife gets in a few sites is mostly snarkiness, incredulity, etc. not horrible insults and tons of photoshopped pics, that is very rare, but really, just to be fair, you should take a look around and see how AJ and her family get horrible insults 10 years later and counting.
        .
        CB is more fair, and it has a very different, more leveled dynamic than other sites/forums.

      • Kiddo says:

        I just got fake baby-ed multiple times and I’m done with the conversation.

  25. lisa2 says:

    Goodness she didn’t make list nor did she decide to put herself at the top. Some people need to chill big time. If you are asked about who you admire pick someone you like. These people picked her.

    • Soulsister says:

      Absolutely. The fact that Angelina is top of this list has nothing to do with her. Rather than shading Angelina, people should be getting angry at the media who prioritises the West over the developing world.

    • Anny says:

      I don’t think people shade Angelina for making the list – that would be ridiculous. The general critical opinion is she isn’t as deserving as others to be on the list which isn’t a “hate” towards her or anything. Just a comment on the actual list, not on AJ herself.

      • lisa2 says:

        I wonder if you have read all the comments.

        I don’t pay that much attention to list like this. Everyone admires people for various reasons. Some I may agree with other no. But I’m not going to be mad at the people on the list for being there.

  26. Robert says:

    What the f*ck is Julia Roberts doing on the list? This must be a joke.

  27. Jessica says:

    This was clearly a poll where respondents were asked to select names from a list. These sorts of polls are just filled out by people wasting time online, YouGov doesn’t apply the same standards here as they do to things like exit polling on election day.

    It’s a sad fact that a lot of people would know who Jolie, Roberts, Pitt, Beckham, and Prince William are, but not know of Malala Yousafzai or Aung San Suu Kyi or even Hillary. In a poll like this the majority of people either randomly select names they recognize with little thought given to the question asked (hence Celine Dion) or they just go with the safe choice (the Queen) or the most famous choice (Angelina and Julia). The ‘popular’ vote get’s spread across the celebs which opens up a little space for answers from respondents who actually understand and care what’s being asked. There’s almost always an option to provide a name not on the list, and it’s very rare that more than 1-2% of respondents will do this (even when the poll has been purposefully created to try and make people write their own choice down).

    TL;DR These types of results are a result of laziness from the creators of the poll and the respondents. It just proves that Angelina is very well-known, which, duh.

  28. Adrien says:

    Bill Gates? Celine Dion, Julia Roberts? What year did they take this poll? I won’t be surprised if Arnie Schwarzenegger ‘s somewhere n the top 20.

  29. kibbles says:

    The one person who truly deserves to be on this list is Malala Yousafzai. Maybe Angelina Jolie because of all her humanitarian work. The rest are just very wealthy celebrities and politicians who, yes, may have broken barriers for women, but have not done a whole lot for the good of humanity. Especially someone like Angela Merkel or Julie Roberts. A lot of these people are responsible for supporting war and suffering in the world. I don’t care if a woman becomes the most powerful woman or person in the world if she is doing horrible things that hurt a great deal of people. It’s kind of sad that only famous people get to be on this list even though so many other people are doing good work around the world and not getting any recognition for it.

  30. Bichon says:

    Celine Dion?????

  31. Pearson says:

    This list says more about the people voting than the people on the list. Somewhere Goop is really pissed her contributions to the world ……like steam cleaning your vagina didnt get her a top five spot.

  32. minx says:

    Well, yay, of course. She has money and influence and uses it for good.

  33. Otaku fairy says:

    I’m happy for most of the people on this list, with the possible exception of Julia Roberts and Celine Dion. I don’t personally have anything against them and think Celine is a talented singer, I’m just surprised those two made the list. I personally would have put Malala at the very top though.

    The list was most admired women, not most accomplished women. So people likely chose from a list of select men and women who they most admired based on their accomplishments, not necessarily just who’s done the most overall. But I do think most of these women belong on the list. Yougov is one of those survey websites where you get paid in gift cards to do surveys (I think I was signed up for it, but I haven’t taken one of their surveys in a long time). I’m pretty sure they primarily target participants from the west, which is probably why most of the people on this list are western.

  34. daughterofjean says:

    This list is almost laughable.

  35. aang says:

    I don’t know. If it has to be a **movie star**, as it was likely to be given the nature of our culture, at least it is one who does some good. Of all the celebs on the list I’d go with Oprah. She really built an empire from nothing, engages in as many good deeds as AJ, she can act circles around the other actresses on the list and she was not the beneficiary of any nepotism to get where she is. A woman of color and of size who became extreamly powerful in Hollywood. But I suppose that since she is not married, not considered by some to be a great beauty and is not a mother, she falls short. Wow, I never knew I admired Oprah that much.

  36. Josefa says:

    If this were limited to Hollywood celebs I’d agree. But choosing her over Malala and other far more important political figures is too much.

  37. moot says:

    “And how in the world does Julia Roberts outrank Merkel?!”

    Yup, just the fact that Julia Roberts made the top 10 list indicates how dogs#!t this list is. Sorry for Angelina, but really? Over Malala and Aung San Suu Kyi? I would put Aung San Suu Kyi at the top, no question.

    And how does the Queen make for admirable? What causes has she fought for? What change in the world has she initiated? What underdog has she propped onto her shoulders and given a voice to? What has she shown the courage to do that few others would? I’m seriously perplexed. I’m wondering if the respondents to this survey understood the meaning of the word “admirable.”

  38. ennie says:

    I love how Angelina tries not to be defined by her level of celebrity.
    he is an actress, a product of Hollywood (and a sucessful one at that), and still she refuses o sit still and let the world pass her by.
    .
    As she said in an interview, She went to know about these problems and found out that her own were nothing whatsoever compared to what refugees face. She is consistent, and is not just throwing money at the problem. She still is an actress, she has her own life and family, and still she gets time to do this. It is commendable. Of course there are many heroes not in a world level, because the good ones outnumber the bad ones, sadly their stories do not get many clicks in news sites.

  39. Dari says:

    Love Angie even when she was bad.

    What no Amal? I guess her mother didn’t have enough money to put her name in the top 10.

  40. kennedy says:

    Why is Julia Roberts on this list? Ew.

  41. maria says:

    Nay. The women fighting IS (or do you still call them ISIS in your countries?) are the most admirable women in the world. And the men, for that matter.

  42. pnichols says:

    she is???? I vote nay.

  43. Misprounced Name Dropper says:

    Personally I have no problem with Jolie but I can’t stand the way she’s rammed down our throats. Also with the exception Malala and Aung San Suu Kyi this list doesn’t do much for me. I have women in my own life who I admire more than his lot.

    • Camil says:

      I think everyone admire a woman or a man. We come from diverse places and realities. Our histories are different so this poll doesn’t reflect an universal truth.

  44. Kim1 says:

    Congrats to Angie for making this list and for being on the Gallup’s most admired list for the last few years.Also Congrats for making Fortune Magazine’s leaders list.Forbes Most Powerful List multiple times.Time Magazine’s Influential List.Vulture’s Most Valuable List for the last few years….

  45. neer says:

    AJ was chosen as the World’s Most Admired in the World 2015 for women.

    She’s also
    No.#1 in Brazil, Russia;
    No.#5 in U.S., France, Germany;
    No.#7 in Great Britain;
    No.#8 in China…..

    (https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015

    I am so proud of AJ.

    I am glad that I am her fan.

    Wow, she scored even better than Bill Gates who’s the World’s Most Admired for Men.

    Go…go….go…

  46. loislane says:

    not to be totally oot but seriously can’t help but thinking this is where we are going to find out how sincere Aniston was when she blamed the whole triangle thing on the tabloïds. Let’s see if her pr doesn’t come up with a New ” most………. of the history ” title soon (fill in the blank).

  47. LaurieH says:

    I get this. I admire her. Here is a woman who came from a rather un-normal Hollywood upbringing (un-normal in the sense that regular folks like us can not relate). Her parents were famous. Her parents divorced. She had admitted problems and crisis as a young women; drug use, self-harm, emotional issues, sexual issues….and yet she powered through all this to find both some enjoyment in life (her film career – which seems now to have segued from acting to writing/directing), real love in her life – from both her husband and her children and – most importantly – a way to make a difference in the world that honestly means something to her. A lot of Hollywood celebrities sign on to various social and political causes, but no one – absolutely NO ONE – walks the walk like Angelina. She’s a trooper and yeah – I admire her.

  48. Louise177 says:

    It’s been ten years and the level of hate against Angelina seems to have grown. It’s just a poll. It’s laughable that people are taking this so seriously. Ask 25,000 other people and Angelina may not even be on the list. Besides the poll is “who do you admire” not “who changed the world”. Admiration doesn’t even have to be somebody famous. This poll was based on a bunch of people. Calm down.

    • norah says:

      the question of ‘hate’ directed at aj is there and yes i do agree that it has been rising steadily for years – right upto the wedding in august 2014. I think most people didnt think they would last and once they got married lots of delusions were shattered once and for all. the fact that on a professional level 2014 was another banner year for her – with maleficient and directing unbroken. if you think abt it what other actress in hw managed to do better than a lot of the male heroes like captain america 2 etc – none of the hw actreses apart from jennifer lawrence can carry a movie on their shoulders and jennifer lawrence is a younger actress as well,i think envy is always going to be there no matter who the person and for aj in particular stronger than ever but there is nothing anyone can do except just go on as she has done.

      yes seriously i dont understand what the big deal is – it is only 1 poll which was done and yes she was chosen as the most admired woman etc so good for her and what she has done and continues to do – if people opted for her then surely it is their wish isnt it? if other names were not chosen or not selected how can she be blamed for that omission. she isnt the one doing the poll after all. anyway kudos to all who made the list regardless

  49. Naddie says:

    I dig this list, except from Julia Roberts. I nearly gasped, actuallly. Malala should be on top, although I admire Jolie a lot.

  50. Jade says:

    Some weird names but I am not surprised at Angie in there. This is most admired list, not most accomplished. I admire her. Why? She is not royalty expected to do charity in exchange for public funds. She is just a private citizen who can easily just be another actress or rich man’s daughter / wife who attends parties, fashion shows and red carpets; and relax in exotic islands. But instead she pushes herself further and tries to direct, tries to make a small effort by being a UN ambassodor, tries to adopt as much as she can handle and tries to balance her family and work. If I had all her resources and Hollywood connections from the start, I can honestly say I could easily just be wining, dining and vacationing and pretty much taking it easy. Not Angie, she tries to keep learning and giving in her own ways. On a non serious note, I admire her beauty and that she always kicks ass in her action movies.

    As an aside, I admire Oprah the most, given that she has worked her way to the top amidst a lot of struggles.

  51. Pumpkin Pie says:

    ‘Most admired woman in the world?’ For me it’s a nay. And a nay when it comes to all celebrities. Because it’s not just about them and their effort, they have teams/support behind them. Plus PR machines. I don’t mean that the fact that they have support diminishes their accomplishments. But give me a ‘simple’ brave woman who goes through challenges and survives and makes something out of her life and that woman I will admire the most.