Hardly anyone knows who this actor is and how they became a billionaire, despite her topping the acting ‘rich list’
If someone asked you who was the richest actor on the planet, you’d probably say someone like George Clooney or Tom Cruise.
I mean, it makes sense, they’ve been box office stars for the past three decades, and continue to churn our blockbuster after blockbuster to this day,
But incredibly, neither of these two, nor anyone else, comes close, and I mean anywhere near, to the wealthiest actor in the world – and the chances are you’ve never even heard of them.
So who is this mystery star, worth more than Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts and Demi Moore?
Recognise her? (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Well, if you don’t know who Jami Gertz is, don’t worry – you’re not alone.
“I’m off to Google first cos this is giving I don’t know who this person is,” said one stunned individual.
While another pondered over why she had been out of the limelight for so long and said: “How come I hardly see Jami Gertz in movies? Did she make it from acting, or does she have other incomes?”
Although not everyone is au fait with her work, Gertz has a pretty sizeable back catalogue, starring in The Lost Boys, Sixteen Candles, Twister, and Crossroads, as well as featuring in Modern Family, Seinfeld, and This is Us. But she has been inactive in the acting industry for the past several years, which is why you may have no clue who she is.
So it should probably come as no surprise that not all of her wealth has come from acting.
In 1989, Gertz married businessman Antony Ressler who, according to Forbes, has a net worth of $8.9 (£7.1 billion).
A year later, in 1990, Gertz’s husband co-founded private equity giant Apollo Global Management, alongside billionaire Leon Black, who also happened to be his brother-in-law.
Then, in 1997 he went on to co-found private equity firm Ares Management, remaining as CEO until 2017, when he stepped down to executive chairman.
They also happen to be huge sports fans, and a decade ago attempted to get involved, bidding to takeover NBA giants the LA Clippers.
Jami Gertz is absolutely loaded ( Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Unfortunately for the loaded couple, though, they lost out, with the franchise selling for a hefty $2 billion to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Undeterred by the disappointment, they moved their attention to another team, the Atlanta Hawks.
Speaking about how it all happened, Gertz told The Rick Risen Show a while back: “We’re going into our fourth season of owning the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, my husband and myself, along with our ownership group, Grant Hill and Sarah Blakely.
“We were kind of kicking the tyres on the Clippers a while ago and that went for tonnes of dough, and Grant called us and said the Atlanta Hawks are for sale, and I said, ‘Huh’, never saw myself in Atlanta but that sounds like something that might be interesting.
“And it was an auction and it kind of happened within four days, and we became the new ownership of the Atlanta Hawks basketball team.”
But if you think that Gertz’s wealth is all down to her hubby, think again.
In an in depth interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Gertz said: “Everyone thinks I married a rich guy. 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.”
So now you know.
Featured Image Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic / Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
