10 Celebrities Who Became Billionaires

We all may dream of fame and wealth, but few people actually achieve it. The first Forbes 400 ranking of America’s richest in 1982 featured just Yoko Ono and Bob Hope as the only entertainers to make the list. Today, thanks to endorsement deals and popular business ventures, more celebrities are making the cut. 

We searched Forbes’ Hollywood Walk Of Fame: The Richest Celebrities Of All Time to find which entertainers had broken into billionaire status and how they made their money. Here is what we found.

• Net worth: $1 billion

Known for his movies and TV shows, Tyler Perry is a household name. He made his billion from his production and entertainment company Tyler Perry Studios. He also owns real estate across the United States. 

• Net worth: $1 billion

LeBron James is known for being a world-renowned basketball player, but he’s made most of his money in endorsement deals. He has equity in several successful companies including Blaze Pizza and Fenway Sports Group. He was also a co-founder of the event and entertainment company SpringHill.

• Net worth: $1.1 billion

Debuting as a billionaire on the Forbes list in 2023, Tiger Woods is one of only two athletes to make it to the list while still playing. He accumulated his wealth winning golf tournaments and scoring mega endorsements. As noted by Forbes, he ranked as the “15th highest-paid athlete last year.” He adds to his riches by investing in Florida real estate and owning a golf course design company. 

• Net worth: $1.2 billion

The middle Kardashian sister got her fame from reality TV but solidified her wealth with successful business ventures. She owns a successful skincare collection, SKKN by Kim which replaced KKW Beauty. Most of her money, however, comes from SKIMS, a shapewear line valued in 2022 at $3.2 billion.

• Net worth: $1.4 billion

When she debuted on the billionaire list in 2022, she was worth a reported $1.7 billion. While her net worth has dropped slightly, she is still one of the richest celebrities in the world. The majority of her wealth can be attributed to her two companies: Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty. Rihanna reportedly owns a 50% stake in the cosmetics company which is worth an estimated $2.8 billion. She also owns approximately 30% of the lingerie company Savage X Fenty, which is worth around $3 billion. 

• Net worth: $2 billion

As with our other athletes, most of Michael Jordan’s wealth can be attributed to endorsement deals. He has a partnership with Nike that brings in huge amounts of money. He also owns a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. The NBA franchise is valued at $1.7 billion.

• Net worth: $2.5 billion

Since his debut on the billionaire list in 2020, Jay Z’s net worth has climbed from $1 billion to a shocking $2.5 billion. His riches are related to his stake in several companies such as Uber and Block. He also has alcohol companies (Amand de Brignac and D’usse) that continue to bring in revenue. 

• Net worth: $2.5 billion

In 1995, Oprah was worth a staggering $340 million — now her net worth is at a jaw-dropping $2.5 billion. She is credited with becoming the first Black female billionaire in 2003. Her continued wealth is due to her media and production ventures.

• Net worth: $4 billion

One of the most well-known directors in the world became a billionaire in 1994. He makes his money by taking a piece of the gross sales from his movies and from tickets at theme parks with movie-themed rides. His movies alone have reportedly grossed in excess of $10 billion!

• Net worth: $5 billion

The “Star Wars” creator debuted on the billionaire list in 1997 with a reported $2 billion. His current net worth is estimated at $5 billion. His wealth comes from his production house LucasFilm, which was purchased by Disney for more than $4 billion.

All net worth data is sourced from Forbes.