'Iron Man 3' actor Robert Downey Jr topped Vulture's annual Hollywood list for the second time, with Leonardo DiCaprio coming in second and labelled "The Star Who Started Smiling Again" and 'Silver Linings Playbook' actress Jennifer Lawrence - "The Breakthrough BFF" - in third place.

The publication compile their list based on several criteria, including a star's box office power - domestic and overseas - awareness and popularity, the value they bring to a production studio, likeability, Oscar mentions, Twitter and tabloid mentions and critics score.

Praising Downey - who has battled drug addiction in the past - as 'The King', Vulture said of the star:  "His appeal is off the charts, and he has a studio rating third only to Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio's. And he's managed his stardom with grace and good humour, a remarkable turnaround from the drug-fuelled days when he was an uninsurable lost boy."

Rounding out the top five were "Never-been-better Superstar" Sandra Bullock and "Golden Boy" Brad Pitt in fourth and fifth place respectively.

The publication said of the highest-ranked stars: "In second place is Leonardo DiCaprio; while he doesn't have the career box-office tallies of a Will Smith, he has proved that he can help a studio make a prestige project pay off: Would 'The Great Gatsby' have made nearly $350 million worldwide without him? Sandra Bullock safely sits in fourth place after following summer comedy hit 'The Heat' with the enormous critical and commercial smash 'Gravity'."

Will Smith, Christian Bale, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks - who shot up 25 places from last year's rankings - and Johnny Depp rounded out the top 10.

Vulture's Most Valuable Stars of 2013 top 20:
1. Robert Downey Jr.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
3. Jennifer Lawrence
4. Sandra Bullock
5. Brad Pitt
6. Will Smith
7. Christian Bale
8. Denzel Washington
9. Tom Hanks
10. Johnny Depp
11. Hugh Jackman
12. Angelina Jolie
13. Meryl Streep
14. Tom Cruise
15. Daniel Radcliffe
16. Jennifer Aniston
17. Daniel Craig
18. George Clooney
19. Matt Damon
20. Mila Kunis