14 Celebrities Who Are Actual Billionaires, Ranked By How Much They Earned It
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According to Forbes, there are 2,640 billionaires around the world. Reaching the billion-dollar mark is a rare feat that these celebrities have achieved, so let's see how they earned their massive bottom lines.
Tiger Woods is worth more than a billion, but the golf pro earned less than 10% of his incredible wealth from hitting the links. Michael Jordan is worth around $3 billion; however, only $90 million of that comes from playing basketball. Woods and Jordan generated most of their wealth with endorsement deals and business ventures. In fact, only a few stars on this list earned their impressive net worth for the reason they're famous.
Find out how these billionaire celebrities generated their tremendous wealth. Then, vote up the billionaires who earned every penny of their bottom line.
- Photo:
- Martin Kraft
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 4.0
Who Is He: Steven Spielberg, a film director, screenwriter, and producer, is the mastermind behind some of cinema's most acclaimed and financially successful films, including the Jaws franchise, the Indiana Jones franchise, the Jurassic Park franchise, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Spielberg's estimated net worth is $4.8 billion. The three-time Academy Award winner is the most commercially successful director at the worldwide box office in cinema history. The auteur co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks; the film production and distribution studios not only release Spielberg films, but also movies from other filmmakers, including box office smashes like Back to the Future and Transformers.
The Color Purple director also serves as a consultant for the Universal Studios theme parks and earns a cool $30 million a year for his consulting work.
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Who Is He: George Lucas is a movie director, screenwriter, and producer, as well as founder of Lucasfilm Ltd., a production company that includes the visual effects division Industrial Light & Magic. He created the Star Wars franchise and co-created, along with Steven Spielberg, the Indiana Jones franchise.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Lucas’s net worth is estimated at $5.5 billion. The film director started Lucasfilm Ltd. in Northern California in 1971 so he could have total creative freedom over all of his projects. His biggest moneymaker is the Star Wars franchise. Not only did Lucas earn money from the films; he also got a cut of the billions of dollars in Star Wars merchandise. In 2012, he sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.1 billion in cash and stock.
Lucas also developed Skywalker Ranch in 1978, a sprawling property - also in Northern California - that serves as a motion picture sound and recording facility. Its estimated worth is more than $100 million.
Earned it?Who Is He: New Zealand native Sir Peter Jackson is a film director, producer, and screenwriter best known for his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy, which earned him millions of dollars and dozens of awards and accolades.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, his estimated net worth is $1.5 billion. He reportedly made $10 million for each LOTR movie and earned 10% on the backend. The Hobbit reportedly brought in about $20 million per film for Jackson, with 20% on the backend.
In 2021, Jackson achieved official billionaire status after selling off a piece of his visual effects company Weta Digital for $1.6 billion. He was able to negotiate a deal that made him the majority owner of Wētā FX, which is a separate unit.
Earned it?- Photo:
- DOD/D. Myles Cullen
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Who Is He: Michael Jordan was a professional NBA basketball player from 1984-2003 (including two short retirements) who won six championships with the Chicago Bulls; many consider him the greatest basketballer ever. He became an international icon and his popularity transcended the sports world.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Jordan's estimated net worth is $3 billion. Throughout 15 pro seasons, he earned about $90 million playing in the NBA. But that's just a small part of his vast net worth.
The player known as Air Jordan reinvented how professional athletes negotiate endorsement deals. He's earned at least $1.5 billion since he signed a contract with Nike in 1986 and changed the brand forever. He continues to earn hundreds of millions every year, thanks to his 5% license agreement. Jordan also had endorsement deals with Hanes, Gatorade, Upper Deck, and 2K Sports. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets for around $3 billion.
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Who Is She: Taylor Swift is a singer, songwriter and musician famous for writing deeply personal lyrics and having a rabid fanbase known around the world as “Swifties.” One of the most influential names in pop culture, she currently holds numerous awards, including 14 Grammys, 40 American Music Awards, and 40 Billboard Music Awards.
How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Swift's estimated net worth is $1.1 billion. She reached official billionaire status in 2023 during her Eras tour, which comprised 152 shows around the world. What makes Swift's lofty bottom line even more impressive is that she doesn't have many investments in products unrelated to her music career.
Swift's music catalog consists of studio albums, re-recorded studio albums, and live albums, which all together have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. She also receives about $500 million from royalties and touring.
Earned it?Who Is She: Oprah Winfrey, AKA the “Queen of All Media,” is a talk show host, producer, author, actor, and entrepreneur. She is perhaps best known for O, The Oprah Magazine and for her daytime syndicated talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired nationally for 25 seasons.
How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Winfrey's estimated net worth is $2.8 billion. She is considered one of the most influential people in the world not just as a TV personality, but also as a business mogul.
In 1986, she founded Harpo Productions, which includes Harpo Print and a minority interest in the cable network OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). It's estimated she made $37 million in 2019 from the OWN network alone. Her former company Harpo Films produced several acclaimed movies, including Beloved, Selma, and 2023’s The Color Purple.
In 2015, the self-made billionaire bought a 10% stake in Weight Watchers and reportedly earned $75 million in just one day with the company. In 2024, she left its board of directors after nearly a decade with the weight loss giant. In 2020, Winfrey sold most of her ownership of OWN to Discovery, in exchange for a stake in the company of at least $35 million. Winfrey also earns about $1.5-$2.5 million in speaking fees for various engagements.
Earned it?Who Is He: Tyler Perry is an actor, screenwriter, playwright, producer, and director known for creating and performing as Madea, an elderly woman who is tough as nails. Along with his 12 Madea comedies, Perry has also produced several TV shows, including Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Browns.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Perry’s estimated net worth is $1 billion. A large chunk of his fortune is from the Madea franchise of films and plays - the films alone have brought in $1 billion in sales, while each film's budget was around $20 million.
Madea is just one of Perry's successes. His large and varied filmography includes 1,200 TV program episodes, 22 movies, and about two dozen stage plays. In 2017, he made a deal with Viacom to create content exclusively for BET. He earns a reported $150 million a year to make TV and movies for the network and for its streaming service BET+.
In 2019, he opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, a major motion picture studio on 330 acres of land.
Earned it?- Photo:
- Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY-SA 3.0
Who Is He: New York native Ralph Lauren is a clothing designer and businessman who rose to fame with his sportswear clothing line Polo Ralph Lauren, now one of the most popular and instantly recognizable brand names in the world.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Lauren's estimated net worth is $9 billion. The fashion icon served as CEO of his company, Ralph Lauren, from the 1960s through 2015, when he stepped down and handed the reigns to Stefan Larsson. Lauren still serves as executive chairman and chief creative officer, and his son David is the chief branding and innovation officer.
Lauren is a true rags-to-riches “American Dream” story. He was born in 1939 to immigrant parents in a low-income Bronx neighborhood. After serving in the US Army, he worked for a tie manufacturer and later decided to design his own line of ties under the Polo brand. He thought outside the box and went against the style of the day by designing more colorful and wider ties. His line made more than $500,000 in just one year at Bloomingdale's.
In 1967, the innovator went on to develop a high-end clothing line under the name Polo Ralph Lauren. Today, it's one of the most valuable fashion brands in the world.
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Who Is She: A singer, actress, and business mogul, Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados in 1988 and has become an international music super star, currently claiming 14 No. 1 singles, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and nine Grammy Awards.
How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Rihanna’s estimated net worth is $1.4 billion, making her one of the youngest self-made female billionaires. She's sold more than 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks, and her multiple world tours have earned her hundreds of millions of dollars.
However, a large portion of the singer’s wealth comes from her business adventures - mostly from her makeup company, Fenty Beauty. In addition, Rihanna has a lingerie and loungewear line called Savage X Fenty, a footwear and apparel line called Fenty X Puma, and is part-owner in JAY-Z’s streaming service Tidal. Rihanna additionally has promotion deals with Dior, Gucci, Manolo Blahnik, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, and CoverGirl (among others).
Earned it?Who Is He: A professional NBA basketball player, LeBron James is a four-time MVP, played in four NBA championships, and earned two Olympic gold medals. He's the NBA's all-time leading scorer and is considered one of the best players in the game's history.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, the power forward's estimated net worth is $1 billion - the first active NBA player to hit the billion-dollar mark. Over his 20+ professional seasons, the Los Angeles Laker has made more than $430 million.
A large portion of James's wealth is earned off the court. He's signed endorsement deals with Nike, Walmart, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre, Intel, and Kia Motors. Just his Nike deal alone is worth $90 million, and could climb as high as a cool billion. James is also co-owner of the entertainment development and production company SpringHill Entertainment and a part-owner of Blaze Pizza.
Earned it?- Photo:
- Tim Hipps, US Army
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC-BY 2.0
Who Is He: Professional golfer Tiger Woods became the youngest man to win the Masters Tournament, back in 1997. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, he dominated his competition on the golf course with 15 major championship victories, which is second all-time behind Jack Nicklaus, who has 18. Woods has had a major impact on the game of golf, including making it a “cool” sport that kids around the world wanted to play.
How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Woods's estimated net worth is $1.1 billion. He has earned about $121 million in PGA prize money, which is less than 10% of his bottom line. Much of his wealth is from high-paying endorsement deals with major brands like Nike, Gatorade, Monster Energy, and Rolex.
Woods also has investments in TGR Design (a golf design business), TGR Live (a live events production company), and PopStroke (a high-end miniature golf course.) He also co-founded the technology company TMRW Sports.
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Who Is She: Jami Gertz is an actress best known for her film roles in The Lost Boys, Less Than Zero, and Twister. She also starred on several TV shows, including Square Pegs, Still Standing and The Neighbors. Gertz and her husband Tony Ressler are majority owners of the NBA team the Atlanta Hawks and own a minority stake in the MLB team the Milwaukee Brewers.
How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Ressler's net worth is an estimated $10.5 billion. He cofounded two private equity firms, Apollo Global Management and Ares Management, with which he generated much of his wealth. Ressler and Gertz met when she was just 21 and married in 1989, well before Ressler became a billionaire. In fact, Gertz was the breadwinner when they started dating. As she revealed to The Hollywood Reporter:
Everyone thinks I married a rich guy. But I made more money - way more money - than Tony when I met him. I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation. I married him because I fell in love with him.
The couple also earn money with their ownership stakes in the Hawks and the Brewers. Gertz has taken on more of the public role of being an NBA team owner, as Ressler prefers to stay out of the spotlight. He explained:
I think it’s fair to say that she makes a better impression on our fan base than any of us in the organization. I’m very active on the business and player personnel decision-making. But Jami steps in when it comes to so many parts of the business that I did not appreciate or have any experience in.
Earned it?- 13
Who Is He: JAY-Z (Shawn Corey Carter) is a rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, founder of the entertainment company Roc Nation, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, and former CEO of Def Jam Recordings.
How He Made Billions: In 2019, he became hip-hop’s first official billionaire, and as of March 2024, his estimated net worth is $2.5 billion. The “Empire State of Mind” singer has released multiple hit albums, including Reasonable Doubt (1996), Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life (1998), and The Blueprint (2001). The Grammy Award winner rakes in millions from album sales, concert tours, and merchandise.
JAY-Z also has an impressive business portfolio. He invested in multiple clothing brands like Rocawear (which he later sold for a large profit) and has made major investments in businesses like Uber and the streaming service Tidal. The hip-hop artist was also part owner of NBA team the Brooklyn Nets. In 2008, JAY-Z founded Roc Nation, whose client list has featured major recording artists such as Rihanna, Shakira, and Alicia Keys. His wife is Beyoncé, who is very close to becoming a billionaire herself.
Earned it? Who Is She: Kim Kardashian is a TV personality, socialite, and entrepreneur. Her father Robert Kardashian, who passed in 2003, became famous for being a part of O.J. Simpson’s legal team. Her mother/manager Kris, who divorced Robert in 1991, married Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner that same year and had two additional children (she'd had four with Robert). The couple divorced in 2015.
How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Kim Kardashian’s estimated net worth is $1.7 billion. Her big break into the public sphere came with the success of her family’s reality TV series Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which began in 2007 and ran for 20 seasons. The family launched a follow-up series on Hulu in 2022.
Kardashian used her reality star fame to build her impressive fortune. Much of her wealth comes from her apparel and shapewear brand Skims, which as of 2023 was worth $4 billion. She currently owns an estimated 33% of the company. She also started a cosmetics line called KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance, 20% of which she sold to Coty in 2020 for $200 million. In 2022, Kardashian launched a skincare collection called SKKN By Kim. She has even released a mobile game called Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.
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