14 Celebrities Who Are Actual Billionaires, Ranked By How Much They Earned It

Who Is He: George Lucas is a movie director, screenwriter, and producer, as well as founder of Lucasfilm Ltd., a production company that includes the visual effects division Industrial Light & Magic. He created the Star Wars franchise and co-created, along with Steven Spielberg, the Indiana Jones franchise.

How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Lucas’s net worth is estimated at $5.5 billion. The film director started Lucasfilm Ltd. in Northern California in 1971 so he could have total creative freedom over all of his projects. His biggest moneymaker is the Star Wars franchise. Not only did Lucas earn money from the films; he also got a cut of the billions of dollars in Star Wars merchandise. In 2012, he sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.1 billion in cash and stock.

Lucas also developed Skywalker Ranch in 1978, a sprawling property - also in Northern California - that serves as a motion picture sound and recording facility. Its estimated worth is more than $100 million. 

Who Is He: Steven Spielberg, a film director, screenwriter, and producer, is the mastermind behind some of cinema's most acclaimed and financially successful films, including the Jaws franchise, the Indiana Jones franchise, the Jurassic Park franchise, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan.

How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Spielberg's estimated net worth is $4.8 billion. The three-time Academy Award winner is the most commercially successful director at the worldwide box office in cinema history. The auteur co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks; the film production and distribution studios not only release Spielberg films, but also movies from other filmmakers, including box office smashes like Back to the Future and Transformers.

The Color Purple director also serves as a consultant for the Universal Studios theme parks and earns a cool $30 million a year for his consulting work.

Who Is He: New Zealand native Sir Peter Jackson is a film director, producer, and screenwriter best known for his work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy, which earned him millions of dollars and dozens of awards and accolades.

How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, his estimated net worth is $1.5 billion. He reportedly made $10 million for each LOTR movie and earned 10% on the backend. The Hobbit reportedly brought in about $20 million per film for Jackson, with 20% on the backend. 

In 2021, Jackson achieved official billionaire status after selling off a piece of his visual effects company Weta Digital for $1.6 billion. He was able to negotiate a deal that made him the majority owner of Wētā FX, which is a separate unit.

Who Is She: Taylor Swift is a singer, songwriter and musician famous for writing deeply personal lyrics and having a rabid fanbase known around the world as “Swifties.” One of the most influential names in pop culture, she currently holds numerous awards, including 14 Grammys, 40 American Music Awards, and 40 Billboard Music Awards.

How She Made Billions: As of March 2024, Swift's estimated net worth is $1.1 billion. She reached official billionaire status in 2023 during her Eras tour, which comprised 152 shows around the world. What makes Swift's lofty bottom line even more impressive is that she doesn't have many investments in products unrelated to her music career.

Swift's music catalog consists of studio albums, re-recorded studio albums, and live albums, which all together have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. She also receives about $500 million from royalties and touring.

Who Is He: Michael Jordan was a professional NBA basketball player from 1984-2003 (including two short retirements) who won six championships with the Chicago Bulls; many consider him the greatest basketballer ever. He became an international icon and his popularity transcended the sports world. 

How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Jordan's estimated net worth is $3 billion. Throughout 15 pro seasons, he earned about $90 million playing in the NBA. But that's just a small part of his vast net worth. 

The player known as Air Jordan reinvented how professional athletes negotiate endorsement deals. He's earned at least $1.5 billion since he signed a contract with Nike in 1986 and changed the brand forever. He continues to earn hundreds of millions every year, thanks to his 5% license agreement. Jordan also had endorsement deals with Hanes, Gatorade, Upper Deck, and 2K Sports. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets for around $3 billion.

Who Is He: New York native Ralph Lauren is a clothing designer and businessman who rose to fame with his sportswear clothing line Polo Ralph Lauren, now one of the most popular and instantly recognizable brand names in the world.

How He Made Billions: As of March 2024, Lauren's estimated net worth is $9 billion. The fashion icon served as CEO of his company, Ralph Lauren, from the 1960s through 2015, when he stepped down and handed the reigns to Stefan Larsson. Lauren still serves as executive chairman and chief creative officer, and his son David is the chief branding and innovation officer.

Lauren is a true rags-to-riches “American Dream” story. He was born in 1939 to immigrant parents in a low-income Bronx neighborhood. After serving in the US Army, he worked for a tie manufacturer and later decided to design his own line of ties under the Polo brand. He thought outside the box and went against the style of the day by designing more colorful and wider ties. His line made more than $500,000 in just one year at Bloomingdale's.

In 1967, the innovator went on to develop a high-end clothing line under the name Polo Ralph Lauren. Today, it's one of the most valuable fashion brands in the world.