From The Eye’s ROSS BRUNDRETT and PETA HELLARD

WE may not have heard of Nikki Webster 14 months ago, but the singer, who became famous after the Olympics opening ceremony, has been ranked in the top 10 of the most powerful people in Australian entertainment.

The teenager was ranked above such luminaries as The Wiggles, Russell Crowe, Baz Luhrmann, Eddie McGuire, Heath Ledger, Bryce Courtenay, Cate Blanchett and Ray Martin in the annual Power List in Who Weekly. So who were the movers and shakers that beat the pint-sized pop star from top spot?

Nicole Kidman, Kylie Minogue, Network Ten exec John McAlpine, Southern Star head honcho Neil Balnaves, ABC television boss Sandra Levy, Village bosses John Kirby and Graham Burke, Seven drama big man John Holmes, Festival Mushroom Records boss Michael Parisi and Nine drama supremo Kris Noble.

And if you’re wondering how Webster got such a high ranking, we’re told it had a lot to do with the fact that The Wizard of Oz production would not have been staged if the teen had rejected the offer to play the lead role.

Source: The Sunday Times