Poll: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock Top List Of Most Trusted People In America

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A group of Academy Award-winning actors top the list of the 100 most trusted people in America, according to a new poll by Reader's Digest.

A list compiled of high-profile and influential Americans was given to over 1,000 people who were told to rank them based on who they believed were most trust-worthy.

Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep took spots one through four respectively.

"Absolutely because they play trustworthy characters," one man told WLNY's Elise Finch.

"In a way it's a bit depressing that four actors would be the ones to make the top four," another woman said.

People viewed as highly intelligent also did well. Poet and professor Maya Angelou came in at number five followed by Director Steven Spielberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Nobel Prize winning chemists and one Nobel Prize wining economist took spots 11, 14 and 15.

The poll also revealed that Americans really trust our doctors and judges, especially if they're on TV. Judge Judy ranked 28th .. ahead of all nine supreme court justices.

TV doctors like Travis Stork from The Doctors and Dr. Oz ranked close to U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.

First Lady Michelle Obama came in at 19 and outscored every politician on the list, including former president Jimmy Carter, former secretaries of state Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama, who ranked 65th.

"I'm very surprised by that, I don't think she gets a ton of media coverage but I guess when she does, she's portrayed well," one man said.

Comedians like Ellen DeGeneres, Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller also made the cut.

To see the full list, click here.

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