highest paid actress in the world?

She landed three roles that made her a star:

ONE: Winter's Bone. Very dramatic story. She played dirt poor and brave in the face of physical danger. Oscar nomination at a young age, "put her on the map."
(I recall being shocked/amused at how the poor little Applachian girl showed up at awards ceremonies in breast dresses and pouring on the sex appeal. She was camera-ready for the glamour of an old-time star.

TWO: The Hunger Games. I think the Winters Bone Oscar nom landed her this movie, and that was the big leap. THAT's the series that made her the highest paid actress in the world. And what were there -- four of them? She really never has to work again. Similar jackpot roles went to Johnny Depp(Pirates) and Robert Downey Jr(Iron Man.) They aren't really paid for their acting. They are paid to keep showing up in sequels to "guarantee the brand."
Of course, J-Law's franchise seems to be played out , but you never know. Sly came back as Rocky decades later.

THREE: Silver Linings Playbook. She WINS the Oscar. The big one: Best Actress. At a very young age. And falls down on stage. And develops her wacky young sex Goddess persona(rather like Tom Cruise on the male side of the street, before we knew how weird he was, J-Law looks like about ten million other young women, so they have a "perfected role model.")

Those three did it. Winter's Bone(to attract attention and land The Hunger Games.) The Hunger Games(franchise multi-millions.) Silver Linings Playbook(forever she will be "Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.")

She was also part of the X-Men franchise, but she rather suddenly seemed too big for it.

Everything since then has been the hit-or-miss roller coaster ride of the modern movie star("they're on their own" to pick parts), but those three roles alone guarantee J-Law at least a 20-year career as a "name." She jumped over thousands of other young actresses and earned her slot.