Many aspiring actors dream of wealth and luxury but some A-listers in Hollywood already have all that and more, before they ever hit the big screen. These actors chose to pursue their own wealth, despite having inherited millions and even billions of dollars.
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Yes, Hollywood has many heirs and heiress who despite having great family fortunes, still decide to work! So, who are these “crazy” actors you might ask? Well, keep reading and you will find out.
Olivia Wilde
Actress Olivia Wilde is best known for her roles in successful TV series such as House and The OC, and movies such as Conversations with Other Women and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. Most recently, she directed her own movie, Booksmart, starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, which brought in a whopping $8.6 million at the box office!
But even without her Hollywood earnings, Wilde hasn’t needed to ever worry about money—she’s the daughter of Andrew Cockburn, a very well-respected British-Irish journalist. Fun Fact: Wilde changed her surname while in high school because just read her father’s name again! But it wasn’t just for that, she also wanted to make her own way in life without using her parents’ wealth and status.
Kate Hudson
Oscar-nominated actress Kate Hudson is a mega Hollywood star, having made her name in the 2000 breakout hit Almost Famous. Hudson’s performance earned her nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. While she hasn’t appeared in any recent movies, she did just launch her own sportswear fashion label Fabletics.
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The actress has earned hefty paychecks for her work but it’s not like she needed it. Hudson is the daughter of Hollywood legend Goldie Hawn, and stepdaughter of Kurt Russell. So she has a nice chunk of inheritance to fall back on!
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper is one of the biggest names in American television today. He is best known for hosting his own news show on CNN, called Anderson Cooper 360, where he is famous for his down-to-earth presenting style and his no-nonsense approach to interviews.
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But did you know that even before earning his own fame, he was born into one of the richest families in America? Cooper is the son of Gloria Vanderbilt, a member of the famous Vanderbilt family of New York—one of the richest dynasties in history.
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields stole America’s heart in the 80s was her roles in the classic movies The Blue Lagoon and Endless Love that really cemented her as a star. Shield’s has constantly been quoted as saying how she believes that hard work is followed by success.
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But this lesson hasn’t been taught to her because of her life struggles, she was actually born into wealth. Her father is rank Shields, a mega-rich businessman and that isn’t all, she is actually descended from Italian Princess Donna Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi!
Billie Lourd
While Billie Lourd recently rose to fame due to her roles in popular TV shows such as Scream Queens and American Horror Story, she has already earned herself a sizeable fan base and demands hefty paychecks.
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But that’s not the only reason she can boast a pretty impressive bank balance. She is the daughter of Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher, and Hollywood talent agent Bryan Lourd. With a family like that, Lourd is instantly marked as young Hollywood royalty and it shows!
Jake Gyllenhaal
A true powerhouse, Jake Gyllenhaal is often ranked as one of the most successful actors in Hollywood today, with roles in the smash-hit movies such as Donnie Darko, The Day After Tomorrow, and Brokeback Mountain.
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Most people know that he also has a sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is also a successful Hollywood actress—but not everyone knows that the two of them were actually born into wealth. Their father is the famous Hollywood director Stephen Gyllenhaal, and their mother is screenwriter Naomi Foner.
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson has been working in the industry since 1994 and has starred in some of the most triumphant films, including The Avengers franchise. Fun Fact: Johansson’s films have grossed over $14 billion at the box office in total!
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But that’s not the only reason that Johansson’s is seen as one of the richest stars in Hollywood today—she is in fact the heir to a great fortune. Her father, Karsten Olaf Johansson, is a wealthy Danish architect, and her mother Melanie Sloan is a film producer.
Rooney and Kate Mara
Rooney and Kate Mara both made a name for themselves in recent years. Rooney starring in the film adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and Kate starring in Brokeback Mountain, The Martian, and Fantastic Four.
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They are also both in relationships with Hollywood stars—Rooney is engaged to Joker star Joaquin Phoenix and Kate is married to her Fantastic Four costar, Jamie Bell. And since they are on this list, you should know that they are the daughters to the Rooney family, who own the successful NFL team, Pittsburgh Steelers. According to Forbes, the team is worth $1.35 billion, and parts of it are still owned by the family.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been a familiar face on our screens for many years. First rising to fame as one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live, the comedy legend then went on to star in the iconic sitcom Seinfeld for 9 years.
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More recently, she starred as the main character in the political sitcom Veep, a role for which she received widespread critical acclaim. The decorated actress is also the daughter of French-American businessman Gérard C. Louis-Dreyfus—whose net worth is estimated at $3.4 billion in 2006.
Kyra Sedgwick
Bonafide Hollywood legend Kyra Sedgwick is best known for her critically acclaimed roles in movies such as Born on the Fourth of July, Singles, and Phenomenon. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and in 2009 she received her very own, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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But that’s not the only reason behind this showbiz starlet’s big bank balance. Never mind the fact that she is married to fellow star Kevin Bacon, but she is also the daughter of Henry Dwight Sedgwick V, a successful venture capitalist.
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson became a household name with her role in the saucy movie Fifty Shades of Grey, which grossed a stellar $570 million worldwide. While the actresses haven’t worked in many films after her debut she still doesn’t have to ever worry about paying the bills.
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Johnson is known for being the youngest daughter of the famous actress and Golden Globe winner Melanie Griffith, who in turn is the daughter of actress, activist and legendary Hitchcock muse Tippi Hedren. Wow! Three generations of stellar Hollywood women, what a family legacy to have!
Edward Norton
Norton has received a Golden Globe Award, as well as being nominated for an Academy Award three times! But did you know that Norton was already living the life many dreams of before he ever became an actor?
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Norton’s grandfather was Edward Mower Norton, Jr., who founded two incredibly successful companies, The Rouse Company and Enterprise Community Partners. This basically means that Norton never had to get a job but still did!
Carly Simon
The “You’re So Vain” singer Carly Simon is one of the biggest pop stars of all time—with a whopping thirteen Top 40 hits in the U.S. under her belt since the 1970s. The Grammy-winning star began her career as part of pop duet The Simon Sisters before branching out on her own.
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But even without her music career, Simon never has to worry about cash flow, thanks to her father who is Richard Simon. He founded the publishing company, Simon & Schuster which is worth $2.18 Billion.
Tinsley Mortimer
Social media star Tinsley Mortimer seems to be one of those people who epitomizes the term “famous for being famous”. However, she’s proven herself to be far more than just a pretty face—as well as her modelling work, she holds a BA in History from Columbia University.
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But that’s not where her millions come from—she is the heir to the Mercer Rug company, founded by her grandfather George Mercer. This only adds more appeal to her fan base, who are always ready to get a glimpse into her life.
David O. Russell and Megan Ellison
Hollywood powerhouse siblings David O. Russell and Megan Ellison are two of the hardest working people in showbiz. Ellison is the founder and CEO of super successful production company Annapurna, while her brother is the mastermind behind movies like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle.
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But did you know that they were both in the showbiz game since they were still teeny tots? Their father is super-rich, Larry Ellison, chairman of tech giant company Oracle Corporation.
Tamara Ecclestone
Socialite and TV personality Tamara Ecclestone is well known throughout the world for her hilarious antics and boundary-pushing modelling works. In 2011, Ecclestone starred in her own reality TV show, Tamara Ecclestone: Billion $$ Girl, and has also appeared in high profile modelling campaigns for magazines such as Playboy.
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But she didn’t earn her fortune due to any of her Hollywood ventures, Ecclestone is in fact the daughter of former Formula One Group chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone—who Forbes estimated to be worth a whopping $3.1 billion.
Armie Hammer
Hollywood heartthrob Armie Hammer has been winning fans across the globe for his critically acclaimed movie and TV performances, making his name in movies such as The Social Network and Call Me by Your Name.
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Hammer has more than proved himself as a Hollywood heavyweight but did you know that he already had a hefty bank balance before making it big in showbiz? He is the great-grandson of Armand Hammer, the owner of the multi-billion-dollar fuel company Occidental Petroleum.
Zoë Kravitz
Actress Zoë Kravitz is no stranger to the glitz and glamour of the world of showbiz. Having starred in blockbusters such as the X-Men, Divergent, and Harry Potter: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchises, she has built up quite a name for herself.
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But it’s no surprise that acting came so easily to her, showbiz is after all in her blood. The daughter of rocker Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, Kravitz is truly part of Hollywood’s elite and not to mention a pretty impressive family fortune.
Stella McCartney
Anyone who knows anything about fashion worships Stella McCartney’s work. The fashion designers are renowned for her artistic achievements and being the brains behind some of the most iconic looks in the past few decades, styling stars such as supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, as well as acclaimed actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
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An accomplished creative and businesswoman in her own right, she was certainly never intimidated by the harsh world of fashion and Hollywood. Besides, why would she be since her dad is Sir Paul McCartney!
Tori Spelling
One of the biggest names in TV during the ’90s, Tori Spelling is best known for her starring role as Donna Martin in Beverley Hills, 90210. After that, Spelling went on to become a popular reality TV star—as well as a bestselling author! Her autobiography, sTori Telling, topped the New York Times Best Seller list in 2009.
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Not many people know this but her father was none other than TV exec and magnate Aaron Spelling, who was credited in helping create iconic shows like Charmed, Melrose Place, Charles Angels and much more.