The world’s richest actor (who you’ve likely never heard of) has hit back after criticism over how she became so wealthy.
Surprisingly, the world’s wealthiest actor, with an estimated net worth of $3 billion, remains largely unknown to the public.
If you were to guess the richest actor globally, you’d likely think of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Perhaps names like Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, or Meryl Streep might come to mind.
Yet, the actual wealthiest actor is someone many have never heard of.
In fact, this individual is reportedly worth a staggering fortune, though she stays largely out of the limelight.
The actor who tops the wealth list is a figure who keeps a low profile.
Actress Jami Gertz, 59, holds an estimated net worth of $3 billion (approximately £2.45 billion), making her the wealthiest actor in the world.
Jami Gertz is best recognized for her roles in The Lost Boys and Sixteen Candles.
She also starred in Twister (1996) as Dr. Melissa Reeves, alongside Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton.
In television, Gertz has appeared in a wide range of shows, from Seinfeld to Modern Family.
People are often surprised to learn that this lesser-known actress possesses such immense wealth.
“Jami Gertz? Never heard of her,” one person remarked.
Another wondered, “Why don’t I see Jami Gertz in more movies? Is her wealth from acting, or does she have other sources of income?”
Someone else noted, “I’m off to Google this – I don’t know who this person is.”
Although she has had a successful acting career, it’s not the primary source of her wealth. Gertz’s fortune largely stems from her husband’s business ventures.
Her husband, Antony ‘Tony’ Ressler, is a billionaire, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $11 billion.
Gertz married Ressler in 1989, and they have four children: sons Oliver, Nicholas, and Theo, and daughter Abigail.
Ressler co-founded Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm, in 1990, alongside his brother-in-law Leon Black. Later, he went on to co-found Ares Management and stepped down as CEO in 2017.
Additionally, Ressler holds partial ownership of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and a minority stake in the Milwaukee Beavers.
However, the couple doesn’t simply amass their wealth.
In 2012, Gertz and her husband were acknowledged as the largest donors to charity by the Giving Back Fund, contributing over $10 million to the Ressler Gertz Foundation, which supports the arts, education, health, and Jewish organizations.
Gertz also serves on the board of directors for the Melanoma Research Alliance, a leading nonprofit supporting skin cancer research.
As Ressler explained (via Metro): “Jami and I take our responsibility as owners of a professional sports franchise in the great city of Atlanta very seriously – and with that responsibility is a commitment to devote resources to organizations that are making tangible, impactful change.”
However, Gertz is quick to hit back at claims she’s only wealthy due to her husband.
Reflecting on their early years together, Gertz shared with The Hollywood Reporter that many assume she ‘married a rich guy.’
However, she clarified: “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.”
When they met in their 20s, Ressler was aware of her career as an actress, though he wasn’t exactly familiar with her work.
Gertz recalled with humor: “He was a nice guy with a job, which is what any Jewish girl from Glenview would want. It would have been nice if it was a doctor or a lawyer, but a banker was OK, too.”
