LOS ANGELES - Some of Hollywood's most successful women share an unexpected byproduct of success -- hairy armpits.

That was one of the lighter messages brought home on Tuesday at a star-studded breakfast, hosted by the Hollywood Reporter in conjunction with the publication of its 15th annual Women In Entertainment Power 100 list.

"It's a miracle I'm here," said keynote speaker Maria Bello, star of "World Trade Center," in describing her hectic morning as a multi-tasking mom during which she finally got around to "shaving two-week old growth" under her arms.

"I still have two-week old growth," quipped fellow "World Trade Center" star Maggie Gyllenhaal, another keynote speaker who, like Bello, earned accolades for her role in the Oliver Stone-directed drama about the September 11 attacks.

The Hollywood Reporter named Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment, as the most powerful woman in Hollywood, followed by Anne Sweeney, president of Walt Disney Co's Disney-ABC Television Group. Judy McGrath, chairman and CEO of Viacom Inc's MTV Networks ranked third place.

Much of the discussion involved the swelling ranks of women in Hollywood boardrooms as well as in politics and other industries.

Bello drew loud applause when she exclaimed: "I'd just like to say this: The speaker of the House is a chick!," referring to incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat.

"World Trade Center" producer Stacey Sher recounted how she broke into the business by volunteering as a waitress at industry events. When the magazine first began publishing the list 15 years ago, it ranked only the top 50 women in Hollywood.

"Fifteen years ago, it was hard to find 50 women to fill it and now it's hard to trim it," said John Kilcullen, publisher of the Hollywood Reporter.

Academy Award winner Meryl Streep got the 2006 Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, named after the former Paramount Pictures chief credited with shattering Hollywood's glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to head production at a major studio.