Born Billionaires? Here Are 10 of the Richest American Celebrities

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Humble beginnings or trust fund, baby? Celebrities come from all walks of life. It’s nice to hear rags-to-riches stories about celebrities who were able to pave their path to success and live the dream. But some stars came from privileged backgrounds and still managed to use their talents to build wealth.

It’s nice to have family money to fall back on since popularity is a fickle game. The hard work and perseverance of grandparents or parents have set these celebrities up for a life of privilege whether they continue to work. The following is a list of celebrities who are wealthy from their endeavors but also have their family riches to add to their net worth.

1. The Cannon Family

Courtesy of ABC

Nick Cannon may be the most interesting celebrity story because Nick wasn’t born into wealth. Nick was raised by his paternal grandparents when his parents divorced. He grew up in housing projects in a rough neighborhood while his father, James, moved to another state. But both he and his father are now separately millionaires.

Eventually, James Cannon started a public access television show and became a televangelist. James is now also a millionaire and has a net worth of $8 million. The first time that Nick performed stand-up was on his father’s evangelical television show when he was eight years old. After that, he was determined to make it his career.

“I was 16 years old, driving to LA, sleeping in my car, just trying to make it happen.” Today Nick is a successful television host, rapper, actor, comedian, and executive producer. He has an estimated net worth of $60 million.

2. The Kardashian Family

Courtesy of E

Although the entire Kardashian clan is very wealthy, Kim Kardashian tops them all as she heads into the billionaire category. The richest Kardashian has a net worth of $1.8 billion. The 41-year-old makes her money mainly through her share in cosmetic brand KKW Beauty and the shapewear brand Skims.

Kris Jenner, the family matriarch, manager, and business savvy mama who helped harness the family’s fortune and success, is worth $190 million. This mom of six earns $100,000 per episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians and takes a 10% cut of her kids’ earnings.

3. The Hadid Family

Courtesy of Bulgari Goldea

The Hadid sisters, Bella and Gigi, are sought-after runway models who command a big paycheck and represent the most elite brands in fashion like Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Versace, Michael Kors, Tom Ford, and Tommy Hilfiger.

Gigi is one of the industry’s highest-paid models and brings home around $10 million a year, giving her an estimated net worth of $29 million.

Bella has graced many prominent magazine covers and was named Model of the Year by GQ in 2016. Bella has an estimated net worth of $25 million.

Their father, Mohamed Hadid, is known for building luxury hotels and mansions in celebrity affluent Bel-Air and Beverly Hills areas. Though he has had some legal troubles, he is estimated to have a net worth in the millions still.

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4. The Gyllenhaal Family

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Jake and his sister Maggie are talented actors in Hollywood. Jake began his career as a child actor and transitioned into the leading male roles we see him in today. Jake’s net worth is $80 million. Sister Maggie earns $500,000 a film and has a net worth of $15 million.

Jake and Maggie’s parents had prominent roles in Hollywood, which likely gave the kids a leg up when trying to land lucrative movie roles. Father Stephen is a film director and poet, and mother Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. The Gyllenhaal parents have a combined net worth of at least $15 million.

5. The Howard Family

Courtesy of Lucasfilm

Ron Howard began his career as a child actor and later entered many households in America with his role on the hit television show Happy Days. Howard’s acting career was short-lived as he preferred to be behind the scenes, becoming an award-winning director and producer.

Howard was already a part of Hollywood as his parents, Rance and Jean Speegle Howard, were actors themselves who worked in film and television shows.

Ron Howard has a net worth of $200 million. His parents, Rance and Jean, have a combined net worth of $7.5 million. Then there are Ron’s children. Two of his four kids followed in his footsteps and also found success in Hollywood.

Like her father, Bryce Dallas Howard is an actress and director. She is best known for her roles in The Village, The Help, and Jurassic World films. She has a net worth of $25 million and continues to have a bright future ahead of her in Hollywood.

6. The Kroll Family

Courtesy of ABC

Nick Kroll is a screenwriter, actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is best known for his sketch comedy show, the ‘Kroll Show, which ended in 2015. Since then, Nick has been a creator, actor, and writer in several television shows. Nick has a net worth of $18 million.

Father Jules B. Kroll was a businessman but more so considered a genius. He is still credited with being the inventor of the entire modern corporate investigation industry back in the 1970s! Jules eventually sold his firm, amassing a net worth of $2 billion. There are articles about his life and career in the New Yorker and the New York Times.

So if Nick ever feels like retiring in his 40s, he can certainly afford to do so.

7. The Grande Family

Courtesy of NBC

Ariana is a singer, songwriter, and actress. Her angelic voice has helped propel her to the top of the charts with many hit songs. Ariana entered the entertainment industry at age 15, starring in a show on Nickelodeon and performing in a Broadway musical. Aside from singing and acting, throw in her coaching on the Voice and endorsement deals, and you have a sizable net worth estimated at $150 million.

Luckily Ariana’s talent has allowed her to continue the life of luxury that she has enjoyed since birth. Her mom, Joan Grande, is the CEO of a communications company, and her father, Edward Butera, is the CEO of Ibi Designs. Joan has an estimated 2 and 3 million net worth, and Edward checks in at $120 million.

8. The Levine Family

Adam Levine
Image Courtesy of NBC

Adam Levine is another celebrity who was born into wealth. He grew up in a posh area of Los Angeles and attended the best private schools. His career started in 1995 with the start of a band called Kara’s Flowers and took off shortly after a record label representative discovered him. Adam is also a songwriter, television show writer, collaborator for a line of fragrances, apparel, and accessories for men, and regular coach on the Voice. These ventures allowed Adam to amass roughly $120 million fortune.

In business for over three decades, Dad Fred Levine is the co-creator and owner of the high-end apparel retail chain M. Fredric. Celebrities and wardrobe stylists frequent the contemporary boutique. M.Fredric also has an online presence and has expanded into airports as well. Fred Levine’s net worth is undetermined, but it’s safe to say it would also be over the $100 million mark.

9. The Mara Family

Courtesy of Netflix

Rooney Mara is an American actress who began her career in television and independent movies. She began landing more prominent roles in mainstream films starting in 2010. One thing Rooney didn’t have to experience as an actor trying to break through was the financial struggles many aspiring actors face. Born into wealth, Rooney could live comfortably and travel extensively before her acting career began. Rooney now has a net worth of $20 million.

Big sister Kate Mara is also a well-known actor. Kate has landed starring roles in some of the most acclaimed television series. She continues to be a mainstay in Hollywood television and films. Kate has a net worth of $14 million.

Rooney and Kate would undoubtedly have done just fine in life without their current careers, as their family is part of a football empire. Great-grandfathers Tim Mara and Art Rooney Sr. are the founders of the NFL teams, the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Family members continue to own and operate the two teams. The Rooney-Mara families are worth billions.

10. The Shields Family

Brooke Shields
Courtesy of Netflix

Brooke Shields began her career early as a child star and continued as a model and actor. Though she achieved success early in life, Brooke has royalty in her blood. Her paternal grandmother was an Italian princess whose family worked as bankers in the Vatican. The Shields family now enjoys a fortune established four generations before Brooke’s princess grandmother was born. Brooke is also directly related to King Henry IV and a distant cousin to Louis XIV. Brooke has a net worth of $40 million through her success.

Brooke’s father, Francis Alexander Shields, was an executive at Revlon Cosmetics, while her mother focused on managing Brooke’s career. Unfortunately, Brooke’s father passed away in 2003. Brooke’s exact inheritance is unknown, but one can assume the Shields family fortune and her father’s career earnings would significantly boost Brooke’s net worth.

Although the celebrities on this list have achieved success through their endeavors, they all have generational wealth to fall back on if their careers stall or they choose to leave the spotlight. Though they had the support, it’s clear that their family riches did not inhibit their desire to forge their career path.

This post was produced by Wealth of Geeks and syndicated on Our Woven Journey.

Image Credit: Netflix

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Nadia is co-creator and author of the blog This Mom is On Fire, a place where busy moms can find ideas for family meals, kids' activities, and tips for saving time and money, as well as relate to common experiences in motherhood. She is also a freelance writer, primarily in the areas of lifestyle and personal finance.

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