Sofia Vergara named Forbes highest paid TV actress for fifth year in a row

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- For the fifth year in a row, Sofia Vergara has taken the number one spot atop Forbes annual highest paid TV actresses list ahead of Kaley Cuoco and Mindy Kaling.

The list, released Wednesday, has Vergara taking in $43 million before management fees and taxes which, according to Forbes, is the highest any television actor made in 2016.

The 44-year-old's big payday stretches beyond money made off of Modern Family as it also includes her lucrative endorsement and licensing deals for products such as Head & Shoulders and CoverGirl.

Last year Vergara was tied for first with The Big Bang Theory star Cuoco who now resides in second place having earned $24.5 million, mostly for her role on the long-running sitcom as Penny. Notably, Cuoco has the biggest TV contract for an actress earning $1 million per episode.

Rounding out the rest of the top five is Mindy Kaling of The Mindy Project with $15 million, Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit with $14.5 million and Ellen Pompeo from Grey's Anatomy who also earned $14.5 million.

Collectively, the Top 15 list, which also includes stars Kerry Washington, Stana Katic and Priyanka Chopra among others, brought in a combined $208.5 million which is up from the combined total of $165 million from last year.

Recently, Forbes listed film star Jennifer Lawrence as the highest paid actress in Hollywood for the second year in a row having earned $46 million.