Hollywood's #1 Philanthropist: Justin Timberlake

Get an A-list name to support your cause and the big bucks are sure to follow, right? Not so fast. According to The Daily Beast’s "most exhaustive study ever on the effects of celebrity on charities," familiar faces don't always convert to cash.

Plenty of lists announce the often generous financial contributions made by stars, but a more interesting measurement might reveal the actual dollar amount one individual can help recruit. While most know that Oprah, Ashton, Bono, Justin and Brangelina have some of Hollywood's deeper pockets, The Daily Beast asks: Will they get you to dig into yours?

This selective analysis examines 50 major names and their respective primary causes. To qualify, the individual must sit on the organization's board, serve as an ambassador, or be the face of a campaign. Then, to determine the effectiveness of each celebrity endorsement, the study gathered data from top news-monitoring services to calculate the value of each print, television and online hit. The results also reflect disclosed personal donations, the Giving Back Fund’s annual list of top 30 celebrity donors and findings from NOZA, the world’s largest donor database.

The results are remarkable. Check out the top 50 philanthropic influencers here; you may be surprised at how much (or how little) some of these big names help pull in. Apparently, a pretty face and a trip down the red carpet isn’t always enough. Producing real change takes commitment — even when you’re a household name.

Photo by Ethan Miller courtesy Getty Images