Steven Spielberg — $5.3 billion

Spielberg made his fortune by directing some of the most popular films of the late 20th century, including Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park as well as betting online casino for real money NZ .The filmmaker earned his enormous fortune long ago and first appeared on the Forbes list of the richest Americans in 1994. He has no intention of stopping there and continues to direct hits like the 2021 remake of West Side Story. In addition to his film income, Spielberg has secured a perpetual royalty of 2% of the revenue from ticket sales at Universal theme parks.

George Lucas — $5.1 billion

Lucas is the creator of the Star Wars franchise, which has not lost its popularity even after almost 50 years since the premiere of the first film. The release of many further films is planned, including the films The Mandalorian and Grogu, which are expected to be released in 2026. But the director does not receive direct income from new projects, since in 2012 he sold the intellectual property associated with the series – then the Disney corporation bought the Lucasfilm studio from him for $4 billion in cash and shares.

Michael Jordan — $3.5 billion

The legendary NBA player became the first athlete in the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans. This happened in 2023, eight years after he became the first billionaire in sports history. Jordan earned most of his fortune from endorsement deals with various brands.

Currently, the former basketball player receives over $100 million a year from Nike in royalties from the Jordan line named after him.

Oprah Winfrey – $3 billion

The female media mogul rose to fame as a host on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which aired from 1986 to 2011. By 2003, Winfrey had become one of the richest people in the world thanks to her work as a host, actress, and producer, and became the first black woman to do so. She continues to make money in the entertainment industry and starred in the war drama The 6888 Battalion in 2024. But today, a significant part of her fortune is also invested in real estate in California and Hawaii, where she owns over 800 hectares of land.

Vincent McMahon – $3 billion

McMahon started his career in the 1970s, serving as a television host for his father’s WWF promotion (currently known as WWE). In 1982, his son acquired the company and transformed it into an international enterprise. In 2023, McMahon combined WWE and UFC into one entity, TKO Group Holdings. He did not remain in the board of directors’ chair for long: last year he had to resign because of sexual harassment allegations (which he denies). McMahon is slowly divesting his stake in the business

Jay-Z — $2.5 billion

The hip-hop icon possesses a remarkably diverse portfolio: holdings such as his champagne label Armand de Brignac, cognac brand D’USSÉ, an investment in Uber, which he obtained in the service’s early days, a notable assortment of artworks (featuring pieces by

Jean-Michel Basquiat), and naturally, his personal music catalog. In 2021 and 2023, the rapper earned a substantial profit from his alcohol brands, selling equity in the company to LVMH and Bacardi for hundreds of millions of dollars in both transactions

Kim Kardashian — $1.7 billion

Kardashian rose to fame on reality TV shows but entered the billionaire club thanks to the shapewear brand SKIMS, which was valued at $4 billion during a 2023 investment round. In 2022, the star launched a skincare line called Skkn by Kim. She also owns several homes, including the $40 million one near Los Angeles where she used to live with her ex-husband Kanye West.

Peter Jackson — $1.7 billion

The beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy earned Jackson $10 million in advance for each film. But that’s a pittance compared to what he got in 2021 when he sold his special effects business Weta Digital to game developer Unity Software. Weta Digital gave the director $1.6 billion in cash and stock, of which Jackson pocketed nearly $1 billion in net profit.