How This 90s Star Quietly Became The World's Richest Actor Despite Going Unrecognized By Most

By maks in Showbiz On 10th October 2024
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If you were born after the year 2000, chances are, you may not recognize this actor.

While Tom Cruise’s success with Top Gun, Margot Robbie’s performance in Barbie, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson’s numerous films have earned them a lot, it doesn’t come close to the wealth of an actor you might not even know of.

It’s the ultimate win—being both a successful actor and incredibly wealthy, while still maintaining a level of anonymity that most big stars can't.

So, who could it be?

Well, this 58-year-old actor from Chicago, Illinois, is best known for roles in the 80s and 90s.

She appeared in the TV series Square Pegs (1982–83), the 1987 film The Lost Boys, and 1996's Twister.

That may rule out anyone born in 2000 and later recognizing her, though her most recent role was in NBC's This Is Us in 2016.

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However, while she earned a substantial amount from acting, her incredible net worth—an estimated $8 billion according to Celebrity Net Worth—is largely due to her ventures outside of acting.

In 1989, Jami Gertz, who starred in ABC’s The Neighbors, married businessman Tony Ressler.

She made it clear in a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that: "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."

Jami Gertz is the current richest actor on the planet Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for An American Fantasy

So, how did she make all that money?

In addition to her acting roles, Gertz and Ressler are part of an investment group that bought the Milwaukee Brewers MLB team, making them shareholders.

Their wealth also comes from other key investments.

In 2015, the couple became owners of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, and they are also shareholders in the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Gertz even founded her own production company, Lime Orchard Productions, in 2007.

But they don’t just sit on their wealth.

Getty Images

They are committed to giving back to the community in meaningful ways.

In 2010, Gertz and her husband were named the top celebrity donors to charity by the Giving Back Fund.

She also serves on the board of directors for the Melanoma Research Alliance, making philanthropy a huge part of her life.