By 2025, 18 celebrities have achieved billionaire status, with a collective fortune exceeding $39 billion
Although many celebrities are quite rich (and use their fame to further boost their bank accounts, like the Kardashian clan), few manage to join the select club of those with ten figures in their bank account. Compared to entrepreneurs in technology, finance and even fashion, many of these famous people seem like humble proletarians.
At least that’s what the famous list of billionaires made by Forbes magazine shows. In this year’s edition, released this Tuesday (1), Forbes identified 18 billionaire celebrities. In total, their assets total US$39 billion. To give you an idea, billionaire Elon Musk alone has a fortune of US$342 billion.
Steven Spielberg – Filmmaker
With a net worth of US$5.3 billion at the age of 78, American director Steven Spielberg is the richest celebrity, according to Forbes. The director of films such as Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park made his fortune in cinema and, in addition to his film earnings, he also receives 2% of ticket sales from Universal theme parks.
George Lucas – Filmmaker
With a net worth of US$5.1 billion at the age of 80, the creator of the Star Wars franchise sold the rights to the series in 2012 to Disney, which bought his company Lucasfilm for US$4 billion.
Michael Jordan – Basketball player
The NBA legend has a net worth of $3.5 billion at the age of 62. The American became the first athlete to enter Forbes’ list of the 400 richest people in the US in 2023, according to the publication. Jordan was also the first billionaire athlete in history. Most of his wealth has come through brand partnerships, like the one with Nike, which pays him more than $100 million a year.
Oprah Winfrey – TV Presenter
American presenter Oprah Winfrey has a net worth of US$3 billion at the age of 71. According to Forbes, she became a billionaire in 2003 and invested much of her fortune in real estate in California and Hawaii.
Vincent McMahon – Businessman
Vincent McMahon began his career as a television announcer for his father’s wrestling company (now WWE). According to Forbes, he bought the company in 1982 and turned it into a global giant. In 2023, McMahon merged WWE with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings. His net worth is 3 billion dollars at the age of 79.
Jay-Z – Rapper and music producer
Rapper, entrepreneur and music producer Jay-Z has a net worth of 2.5 billion dollars. At 55, the American has made his fortune in the world of music and diversified his businesses. He currently owns the Armand de Brignac champagne brand, D’Ussé cognac and has a robust art collection.
Kim Kardashian – Businesswoman and reality TV star
The most famous of the Kardashian clan, Kim is a reality TV star and has used her fame to make money. Her net worth is 1.7 billion dollars. The 44-year-old American businesswoman achieved billionaire status thanks to her Skims shapewear line, valued at 4 billion dollars by 2023, according to Forbes. She also launched the skincare brand SKKN By Kim in 2022 and owns several luxurious properties, including a $40 million home in Los Angeles.
Peter Jackson – Filmmaker
The man responsible for the Lord of the Rings films has a net worth of $1.7 billion at the age of 63. The films earned the New Zealander US$ 10 million each, paid in advance, according to Fobes. He also sold part of his visual effects company, Weta Digital, to Unity Software in 2021 for $1.6 billion.
Taylor Swift – Singer
With sold-out tours around the world, singer Taylow Swift has managed to accumulate a net worth of US$ 1.6 billion by the age of 35. The American became a billionaire in 2023 after earning around US$ 190 million net on the first leg of her famous Eras Tour alone, according to Forbes. The singer also invests in real estate, according to the magazine.
Magic Johnson – Basketball player
With a fortune of $1.5 billion at the age of 65, the basketball Hall of Famer became richer by making smart investments after his career, according to Forbes. He bought minority stakes in the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers (with Todd Boehly) and the NFL’s Washington Commanders (with Josh Harris), as well as acquiring a majority stake in the insurance company EquiTrust.
Tiger Woods – Golfer
Tiger Woods made a career out of golf and became the world’s highest-paid athlete in the decade up to 2011, when he earned $75 million that year alone, according to Forbes estimates. Today, his net worth is $1.4 billion at the age of 49. Most of this came from sponsorships.
Tyler Perry – Actor
With a net worth of $1.4 billion at the age of 55, the American rose to fame in the theater playing the matriarch Madea on stages all over the USA. Today, Forbes states that his two biggest assets are his content library and Tyler Perry Studios, the film production company behind works such as A Madea Homecoming (2022) and The Six Triple Eight (2024), the latter co-starring fellow billionaire Oprah Winfrey.
Rihanna – Singer
Another pop star on the list of billionaires is Rihanna. With a net worth of US$ 1.4 billion at the age of 37. The Barbados-born singer has boosted her fortune with the Savage X Fenty lingerie brand, which raised US$125 million in an investment round in 2022, and her Fenty Beauty cosmetics company.
LeBron James – Basketball player
The first sports name to appear on the list is NBA player LeBron James. His net worth is US$1.3 billion. The American is 40 years old and was the first to become a billionaire while still active. In addition to his earnings as an athlete, he has also amassed millions in sponsorships from brands such as Nike and PepsiCo, as well as his own businesses, including the SpringHill production company.
Bruce Springsteen – Singer and songwriter
Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen has a net worth of $1.2 billion. The 75-year-old American star sold his music catalog to Sony for around $500 million in 2021, according to Forbes.
Dick Wolf – Screenwriter and producer TV screenwriter and producer Dick Wolf has amassed a net worth of $1.2 billion at the age of 78. The American has created franchises such as Law & Order and FBI through his company, Wolf Entertainment. According to Forbes estimates, Wolf earns up to 350,000 dollars per episode of his main productions.
Arnold Schwarzenegger – Actor and politician
Known for his more than 50 action films, the former governor of California has a net worth of $1.1 billion at the age of 77. According to Forbes, the American built another fortune through venture capital investments, including an investment in Google’s Series A round.
Jerry Seinfeld – Comedian
With a net worth of $1.1 billion at the age of 70, American Jerry Seinfeld became known for starring in the sitcom Seinfeld in the 1990s. And, according to Forbes, that’s where most of his fortune comes from. According to the publication, he and Larry David each receive 15% of all the show’s profits.
