Top 50 Richest Actresses: The Stories Behind Hollywood’s Wealthiest Women

Wendy R. PlautDecember 6, 2024

Hollywood may shine with glam, but the richest actresses are out here building empires behind the scenes. From smart investments to business ventures and giving back, they’re changing the game of what it means to be a star.

This article uncovers their stories, their wealth, and how we can all learn from their moves!

We recommend you read our other article about the world’s richest black actresses.

Who Are the Richest Actresses in Hollywood?

Jami Gertz is rocking an $8 billion net worth, thanks to smart investments and her stake in the Atlanta Hawks. Beyond The Lost Boys, her business moves are on fire!

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have a combined $500 million, built on acting and luxury brands like The Row.

Reese Witherspoon, with a $420 million net worth, scored big with Hello Sunshine and Big Little Lies, proving she’s a true Hollywood mogul.

Top 50 Richest Actresses (2024)

Check out the table below for a sneak peek at the 50 wealthiest actresses, their net worth, and how they’re raking in cash through Hollywood hits, businesses, and smart investments!

Rank	Actress	Approx. Net Worth	Key Sources of Wealth	Notable Contributions/Projects
1	Jami Gertz	~$8 billion	Acting, Investments (with husband, investor Tony Ressler)	Films like The Lost Boys, NBA team ownership
2	Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen	~$500 million (combined)	Acting, Fashion Empire (The Row), Media Ventures	Full House, Dualstar Entertainment
3	Reese Witherspoon	~$420 million	Acting, Production (Hello Sunshine), Brand Partnerships	Legally Blonde, Big Little Lies
4	Jennifer Lopez	~$400 million	Acting, Singing, Producing, Entrepreneurship (JLo Beauty)	Selena, Hustlers, Music & Fashion Brands
5	Cher	~$360 million	Acting, Music Career, Concert Tours, Endorsements	Moonstruck, Decades-long music success
6	Victoria Principal	~$350 million	Acting, Skincare & Lifestyle Brands, Investments	Dallas, Principal Secret skincare line
7	Jennifer Aniston	~$300 million	Acting, Endorsements, Friends Residuals, Production	Friends, The Morning Show
8	Julia Roberts	~$250 million	Acting, High-earning Film Roles, Endorsements	Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich
9	Julia Louis-Dreyfus	~$250 million	Acting, Producing, Family Wealth	Seinfeld, Veep
10	Sandra Bullock	~$250 million	Acting, Producing, Real Estate Investments	Speed, The Blind Side
11	Nicole Kidman	~$250 million	Acting, Producing, Endorsements (Omega, Chanel)	Moulin Rouge!, Big Little Lies
12	Michelle Pfeiffer	~$250 million	Acting, Endorsements, Decades-long Career	Scarface, Batman Returns
13	Jessica Alba	~$200 million	Acting, The Honest Company (Entrepreneurship)	Fantastic Four, The Honest Company
14	Sarah Jessica Parker	~$200 million	Acting, Producing, Fashion Lines	Sex and the City
15	Demi Moore	~$200 million	Acting, Early Blockbuster Salaries, Investments	Ghost, A Few Good Men
16	Gwyneth Paltrow	~$200 million	Acting, Goop Lifestyle Brand, Endorsements	Shakespeare in Love, Goop
17	Salma Hayek	~$200 million	Acting, Producing, Marriage to François-Henri Pinault	Frida, Desperado
18	Tracey Ullman	~$199 million	Acting, Comedy, Producing, Television Projects	The Tracey Ullman Show
19	Sofia Vergara	~$180 million	Acting, Endorsements, Business Ventures	Modern Family, TV Hosting
20	Scarlett Johansson	~$165 million	Acting (Marvel Films), Endorsements	Black Widow, Lost in Translation
21	Meryl Streep	~$160 million	Acting (Acclaimed Career), High-paying Roles	The Devil Wears Prada, Sophie’s Choice
22	Jennifer Lawrence	~$160 million	Acting (High-grossing Films), Endorsements	The Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook
23	Miley Cyrus	~$160 million	Acting (Disney Roots), Music Career, Endorsements	Hannah Montana, Successful Music Albums
24	Courteney Cox	~$150 million	Acting, Producing, Friends Residuals	Friends, Cougar Town
25	Catherine Zeta-Jones	~$150 million	Acting, Endorsements, Real Estate with Michael Douglas	Chicago, Mask of Zorro
26	Cameron Diaz	~$140 million	Acting (Blockbuster Salaries), Investments, Books	Charlie’s Angels, The Mask
27	Charlize Theron	~$130 million	Acting, Producing, Endorsements (Dior)	Monster, Mad Max: Fury Road
28	Drew Barrymore	~$125 million	Acting, Producing, Talk Show Host, Family Legacy	E.T., 50 First Dates
29	Angelina Jolie	~$120 million	Acting, Directing, Humanitarian Work, Endorsements	Maleficent, Mr. & Mrs. Smith
30	Kaley Cuoco	~$100 million	Acting (TV Salaries), Producing, Endorsements	The Big Bang Theory
31	Jodie Foster	~$100 million	Acting (since childhood), Directing, Producing	The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver
32	Mariska Hargitay	~$100 million	Acting (Long TV Run), Producing	Law & Order: SVU
33	Helen Mirren	~$100 million	Acting (Film, Stage, TV), Endorsements	The Queen, Prime Suspect
34	Emma Watson	~$90 million	Acting (Harry Potter), Endorsements, Activism	Harry Potter series, Beauty and the Beast
35	Halle Berry	~$90 million	Acting, Endorsements, Producing	Monster’s Ball, X-Men
36	Lisa Kudrow	~$90 million	Acting (Friends), Producing, Residuals	Friends, The Comeback
37	Penélope Cruz	~$85 million	Acting (International Career), Endorsements	Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Volver
38	Keira Knightley	~$80 million	Acting (Period Dramas, Franchises), Endorsements	Pirates of the Caribbean, Atonement
39	Mary Steenburgen	~$80 million	Acting (Film, TV), Investments	Melvin and Howard, Back to the Future III
40	Tina Fey	~$75 million	Acting, Writing, Producing (30 Rock, SNL)	30 Rock, Mean Girls
41	Kristen Stewart	~$70 million	Acting (Twilight Franchise), Endorsements	Twilight, Charlie’s Angels
42	Priyanka Chopra Jonas	~$70 million	Acting (Bollywood & Hollywood), Endorsements, Producing	Quantico, Bollywood Films
43	Kate Winslet	~$65 million	Acting (Acclaimed Career in Film & TV)	Titanic, The Reader
44	Amy Adams	~$60 million	Acting (Wide Range of Roles), Endorsements	American Hustle, Enchanted
45	Sigourney Weaver	~$60 million	Acting (Iconic Sci-Fi Roles), Producing	Alien, Avatar
46	Julianne Moore	~$55 million	Acting (Acclaimed Film Career), Endorsements	Still Alice, The Hours
47	Raven-Symoné	~$55 million	Acting (Child Star), Hosting, Producing	That’s So Raven, The View
48	Annette Bening	~$48 million	Acting (Critically Acclaimed Films)	American Beauty, The Kids Are All Right
49	Sandra Oh	~$25 million	Acting (Hit TV Dramas), Producing	Grey’s Anatomy, Killing Eve
50	Hilary Duff	~$25 million	Acting (Disney Roots), Music, Books, Lifestyle Brands	Lizzie McGuire, Music Albums

How the Richest Actresses Build Their Wealth?

Diversified Income Streams

Acting? Pfft, just the warm-up! These actresses are out here turning their fame into full-on multimillion-dollar empires with some seriously smart business moves!

Jessica Alba, who has a $200 million net worth, co-founded The Honest Company, which is now a leader in eco-friendly consumer products.
Jennifer Lopez, worth $400 million, combines acting with music, business ventures like JLo Beauty, and real estate investments.
Sarah Jessica Parker leveraged her Sex and the City fame into a fashion empire with her shoe and perfume lines.

Residual Income and Royalties

For actresses with iconic roles, residuals can be a gold mine. Jennifer Aniston, earning millions annually from Friends syndication, has parlayed her acting into a $300 million fortune. Similarly:

Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox also benefit from Friends royalties.
Scarlett Johansson earned millions in backend deals from her roles in Marvel’s Black Widow and Avengers.

Smart Investments

Real estate, tech startups, and production ventures play a significant role:

Sandra Bullock, worth $250 million, owns properties across the U.S. and produces films under her own company.
Charlize Theron invested in Dior partnerships and high-grossing films like Mad Max: Fury Road.

Philanthropy: Making Wealth Meaningful

Beyond financial success, the wealthiest actresses use their fortunes to create meaningful change:

Angelina Jolie, worth $120 million, has donated millions to refugee aid and human rights causes as a UN Special Envoy. Her contributions to global humanitarian efforts set a gold standard for celebrity philanthropy.
Meryl Streep, with a $160 million fortune, supports gender equality and arts education through contributions to organizations like the Women’s History Museum.
Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Foundation champions women storytellers, funding projects by underrepresented voices in Hollywood.

Emerging Trends Among Hollywood’s Wealthiest Women

The entertainment industry is evolving, and actresses are leveraging digital platforms and global streaming:

Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ are reshaping Hollywood’s business model. For instance, Kaley Cuoco, with a $100 million net worth, turned her success on The Big Bang Theory into lucrative deals for The Flight Attendant.
Zendaya, who collaborates with brands like Valentino and Lancôme, seamlessly blends acting with global endorsements, making her a rising force in the industry.
Millie Bobby Brown, star of Stranger Things, has expanded into beauty entrepreneurship with her skincare line Florence by Mills.

Actresses like Priyanka Chopra Jonas ($70 million) bridge Bollywood and Hollywood, capitalizing on brand endorsements, production roles, and global streaming platforms.

What We Can Learn from the Richest Actresses

The stories of Hollywood’s wealthiest women reveal invaluable insights:

Diversification is Key: From production companies (Reese Witherspoon) to fashion empires (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), having multiple revenue streams ensures financial stability.
Leverage Fame Wisely: Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow have turned their celebrity into successful business empires.
Invest in Impact: Actresses like Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep demonstrate how wealth can be used to drive meaningful change.

FAQs About Richest Actresses

Who is the wealthiest actress in the world?

Currently, Jami Gertz holds the top spot with an estimated net worth of $8 billion, primarily from investments.

How do actresses make money beyond acting?

Actresses generate wealth through production companies, fashion and beauty brands, endorsements, and royalties from iconic roles.

Who are the richest young actresses?

Rising stars like Zendaya, Millie Bobby Brown, and Emma Watson are quickly climbing the wealth ladder through acting, brand deals, and digital influence.

Which actress is the best philanthropist?

Angelina Jolie is widely recognized for her humanitarian work, supporting global causes and donating millions to refugees.

Which actresses have production companies?

Actresses like Reese Witherspoon (Hello Sunshine), Charlize Theron (Denver and Delilah), and Nicole Kidman (Blossom Films) own production companies that allow them to profit directly from their creative ventures.

Who are some actresses with the highest-paid roles?

Actresses like Scarlett Johansson, Sandra Bullock, and Gal Gadot have commanded massive paychecks for blockbuster films, sometimes earning over $20 million per movie.

Which countries have the wealthiest actresses?

While Hollywood actresses dominate the list, Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, and others from international cinema also boast impressive wealth.

Do actresses earn money from social media?

Yes, many actresses leverage their social media platforms for lucrative endorsement deals, with some earning millions per post.

How does marriage or family wealth affect an actress’s net worth?

In some cases, actresses like Jami Gertz have high net worths due to family or marriage ties to wealthy business ventures, like owning sports teams.

Who are the wealthiest retired actresses?

Actresses like Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen transitioned from acting to fashion moguls with their brand, The Row, amassing significant wealth despite retiring from on-screen roles.

What role does brand ownership play in actresses’ wealth?

Ownership of beauty, fashion, or lifestyle brands significantly boosts net worth, as seen with Rihanna (Fenty Beauty) and Jessica Alba (The Honest Company).

Do actresses with Oscars make more money?

Winning an Oscar can lead to higher pay for future roles, more endorsement opportunities, and an elevated reputation, although not all actresses see a dramatic spike in income.

Conclusion

The wealthiest actresses in Hollywood are flipping the script on what it means to be a celeb. They’re entrepreneurs, investors, and philanthropists—think Jami Gertz’s billion-dollar moves, Reese Witherspoon’s production empire, and Jessica Alba’s eco-business. As Reese says, “Ambition is not a dirty word.” These women are the blueprint for turning passion, strategy, and impact into a legacy!