by Kristyn Burtt
When you take a look at some of the top earners in Hollywood, you just know Oprah Winfrey is up there at the top of the list. However, there are so many other actresses, producers, and lifestyle gurus who are working hard in front of and behind the camera to carve out the career of their dreams.
The income on this list of wealthy female celebrities is astronomical compared to what the average American earns, but it’s important to note that women still only make 83 cents for every dollar earned by men — and yes, that does include the entertainment industry. Beyoncé has often acknowledged the gender wage gap and believes that “equality is a myth,” even though women need to stop accepting that as a fact. “Why do we have to take a backseat? I truly believe that women should be financially independent from their men,” she explained to GQ in 2013. “And let’s face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define value. They define what’s sexy. And men define what’s feminine. It’s ridiculous.” It’s also crucial to have Beyoncé talking about wage disparity because women of color are paid even less. According to the Department of Labor, “Black women were paid 64%, and Hispanic women (of any race) were paid 57% of what white non-Hispanic men were paid.”
That’s why stars like Reese Witherspoon are fired up and taking charge of their careers by telling female-centric stories with her production company and Angelina Jolie is using her humanitarian efforts to share women’s issues on a global level. These women are using their power and wealth to be change-makers for the next generation of women in the workplace. Take a look at the list to see who the celebrity women with the highest net worth are right now, according to Celebrity Net Worth — there just might be a name that surprises you.
Oprah Winfrey’s Net Worth $3.5 Billion
Was this any surprise that Oprah Winfrey is worth this much? The media mogul makes around $315 million per year (whoa!) and “is the richest self-made woman in America,” according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Kathy Ireland’s Net Worth: $500 Million
Along with being a legendary model and 43 acting credits, Kathy Ireland has had numerous business ventures over the years. Per Celebrity Net Worth, she had a sock collection with Kmart for a decade, and then she became the owner and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, which sells an array of products.
Ellen DeGeneres’ Net Worth: $500 Million
Ellen DeGeneres followed in Oprah Winfrey’s footsteps with her own talk show and production company. Now that she is retired from daytime TV, she is writing her next chapter, which will likely continue her love for flipping real estate.
Beyoncé Knowles’ Net Worth: $500 Million
From Destiny’s Child to her beyond-belief success as a solo artist, Beyoncé has proven to be a true innovator when it comes to her music, business, and art.
The Olsen Twins’ Net Worth: $500 Million
There’s no denying the wealth accumulated by the Olsen twins over the decades — some of it at a cost to their childhood. However, they found their path in fashion after they retired from acting.
Jennifer Lopez’s Net Worth: $400 Million
Jennifer Lopez is a lifestyle brand — she’s an entertainer, a businesswoman, and an icon. She’s successfully launched many products individually, but she and her husband, Ben Affleck, know that they are also valuable together. Perhaps there is a Bennifer collaboration in the future?
Gisele Bundchen’s Net Worth: $400 Million
Like Cindy Crawford, Gisele Bündchen has a legendary modeling portfolio (that’s record-breaking, mind you) and a real estate portfolio. Plus, she has a yearly salary of $40 million!
Cindy Crawford’s Net Worth: $400 Million
Cindy Crawford not only has a legendary modeling portfolio, an impressive real estate history, but has also dabbled in the world of film and skincare. All of her ventures have cultivated this massive net worth in 2023.
Reese Witherspoon’s Net Worth: $300 Million
Reese Witherspoon’s net worth would make Elle Woods very proud. She found that women’s stories were an underserved area in TV and film, and she now has the award nominations to prove that her hunch was correct. Witherspoon successfully sold her Hello Sunshine production company for a reported $900 million in 2021.
Jennifer Aniston’s Net Worth: $320 Million
Jennifer Aniston made $1 million per episode for the final season of Friends, which helped make her very rich. Yet it was the royalties the entire cast negotiated that sent them into the financial stratosphere. The icing on the cake is that she is also one of the most sought-after celebrities in the entertainment industry for endorsements.
Julia Roberts’ Net Worth: $250 Million
Julia Roberts might keep a lower profile than other A-list celebrities, but she’s earned quite a fortune over her Oscar-winning career. She’s also quite the real estate investor with properties all over the globe, including an island in the Bahamas.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Net Worth: $250 Million
Julia Louis-Dreyfus easily commands $500,000 per episode because she’s more than proven her talents in shows like Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Veep. She also inherited a significant amount of money when her father, notable businessman Gérard Louis-Dreyfus died in 2016; his company was worth over $4 billion.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Net Worth: $250 Million
Michelle Pfeiffer’s net worth is from her impressive, decades-long acting career starring in films like Dangerous Liaisons, Batman Returns, Love Field, and more. Along with that, she’s also garnered an impressive real estate portfolio.
Jessica Biel’s Net Worth: $250 Million
Since Jessica Biel is an actress, model, singer, and producer, known for her powerful projects on film and television, it’s no wonder she’s garnered this whopping net worth
Nicole Kidman’s Net Worth: $250 Million
As one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman earned “around $22 million” between September 2019 and September 2020, per Celebrity Net Worth. She and her husband, Keith Urban, are also avid real estate investors with properties in Sydney, Australia, New York City, Beverly Hills, and Nashville.
Sandra Bullock’s Net Worth: $250 Million
Even though Sandra Bullock’s acting career has slowed down (by choice) to spend time with her kids, she’s still going strong with her multiple investment properties and her production company, Fortis Films.
Salma Hayek’s Net Worth: $200 Million
Salma Hayek has garnered quite a fortune from her acting career in films like the Eternals and Frida. While she has earned that wealth all on her own, she is also married to one of the world’s wealthiest men, Francois Henri Pinault, whose net worth is about $7 billion.
Demi Moore’s Net Worth: $200 Million
Demi Moore was the top-earning actress in the 1990s with films like G.I. Jane, Striptease, and Indecent Proposal. She’s now dipping her toes into the fashion world with a successful swimwear collaboration with Andie.
Jane Fonda’s Net Worth: $200 Million
The award-winning actress is still on the move as the star of Grace and Frankie, and who could forget that fabulous 1980s fitness empire? Jane Fonda also earned a tidy sum after her divorce from Ted Turner in 2001, which landed her a $100 million settlement.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Net Worth: $200 Million
Gwyneth Paltrow seems to have it all — a successful acting career (including a role in the Marvel universe), an Oscar, and a mega-lifestyle brand, Goop. Although her wellness company is sometimes controversial, it is the gold standard in celebrity business empires.
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Net Worth: $200 Million
Even though Sarah Jessica Parker has been acting on Broadway and in TV/film since she was a child, it’s Carrie Bradshaw who made her rich. The HBO series, Sex and the City and the revival, And Just Like That… have been a core part of her fortune.
Sofia Vergara’s Net Worth: $180 Million
Sofia Vergara has graced TV screens consistently since Modern Family debuted in 2009, where she earned $500,000 per episode in its final seasons. Now, she earns $10 million a year as a judge on America’s Got Talent.
Charlize Theron’s Net Worth: $170 Million
Charlize Theron is not only a top earner in Hollywood as an actress, but she’s also the longtime ambassador for Raymond Weil and Christian Dior.
Scarlett Johansson’s Net Worth: $165 Million
Scarlett Johansson knows her worth at the box office since her films have earned over $14.3 billion worldwide — thanks to the Marvel universe. She also makes $10 – $20 million per year in endorsements.
Miley Cyrus’ Net Worth: $160 Million
At only 29 years old, Miley Cyrus is the youngest woman on this list. Her career began with the Disney Channel as Hannah Montana, but she’s carved out a niche as one of the most versatile singers in the music industry.
Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Net Worth: $150 Million
Catherine Zeta-Jones is another star who has been acting in theatre and in TV/film since she was a child. She’s worth quite a bit on her own, but if you add in husband Michael Douglas’ wealth, their assets are worth over $350 million — talk about a power couple!
Courteney Cox’s Net Worth: $150 Million
Courteney Cox is another Friends cast member on this list, along with Cougar Town and the Scream franchise — she’s doing very well. Cox is also an experienced real estate flipper that puts her wealth over the top.
Cameron Diaz’s Net Worth: $140 Million
Cameron Diaz has been in retirement since 2014, but she’s still near the top of the list. That number is only going to creep higher now that she’s officially un-retiring in a new project with Jamie Foxx.
Drew Barrymore’s Net Worth: $125 Million
Drew Barrymore got started in the entertainment business at the age of six, but she’s still thriving today. In addition to her acting career, she’s become quite the daytime talk show star.
Angelina Jolie’s Net Worth: $120 Million
Angelina Jolie is an actress and humanitarian, who is starting to carve out a wonderful career behind the scenes as a director. At certain points in the entertainment industry, she’s been the highest paid actress in Hollywood, earning $20 million per film.
Kaley Cuoco’s Net Worth: $100 Million
Kaley Cuoco’s TV career has been red hot since she was a teen. She earned $1 million per episode for the final two seasons of The Big Bang Theory, and she recently wrapped a two-season run of HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant.
Jessica Alba’s Net Worth: $100 Million
Jessica Alba helped pave the way for actresses to dive deep into lifestyle brands. As co-founder of The Honest Company, she made quite a profit when the corporation went public.
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