Lauralee Bell has been a fixture on The Young and the Restless since July 1983, so it's not surprising she has amassed an impressive fortune.
What may come as a shock, however, is that the 56-year-old has become one of the richest soap opera stars, beating the likes of Kelly Ripa, who is worth $120 million, and Susan Lucci, worth $80 million, who both shot to fame on All My Children.
Lauralee didn't aspire to become an actress, but that all changed when she made her TV debut on The Young and the Restless at age 13.
"I see young girls now who... want to be an actress. I don't remember saying that so much," she told We Love Soaps. "Once I did The Young and the Restless, the bug was there."
Discover more about Lauralee's staggering fortune below.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyFamily dynasty
Lauralee has her late parents to thank for giving her a start in the industry, as it was her father, William J. Bell, and her mother, Lee Phillip Bell, who created The Young and the Restless.
Lauralee convinced her parents to let her have a guest spot on the show as a teenager, saying: "I begged and begged, so they allowed me to be on for two days."
While she was initially embarrassed that nepotism got her on the show, she has learned to say her surname "with such pride".
"My name may have gotten me in, but I earned my spot here after that," she told Global TV.
© CBS via Getty ImagesThe Young and the Restless
Lauralee's two-day stint eventually turned her into a series regular after her character "just grew," and she has been playing Christine 'Cricket' Blair for over four decades.
The actress was juggling the show with her schoolwork after her dad "insisted that I study as much as possible".
She relocated to Los Angeles to be on the show and gave up her plans to attend college to focus on her acting career, which paid off.
© Variety via Getty ImagesNet worth
Lauralee is worth a whopping $200 million, and while most of her fortune has come from The Young and the Restless, she has other avenues that supplement her income.
She started a production company, Martin-Bell Productions, with her husband, Scott Martin. "He is so visual and an amazing photographer," she told Michael Fairman TV in 2009. "I needed someone's eyes to watch all the monitors."
While it's not public knowledge, Lauralee and her brothers were likely left a sizeable inheritance following their parents' deaths.
© CBS via Getty ImagesActing career
Lauralee has enjoyed other acting credits, including appearances on CSI: Miami, Castle, and the Lifetime movies Ruby and Pearl in the Mist.
She has also worked as a director, writer, and producer on the web series' Family Dinner, Just off Rodeo, and mI Promise.
"I have to be the actress first. But I liked being in charge of this because everyone was so talented, that directing this was a piece of cake," she told Michael Fairman TV of 2009's Family Dinner.
© Taylor HillRichest soap opera stars
While Lauralee tops the list as one of the richest soap opera stars and is followed closely by Kelly Ripa and Susan Lucci, there are several others who have whopping bank balances.
Kelly's husband, Mark Consuelos, who started on All My Children, is worth an estimated $40 million. The Young and the Restless' Eric Braeden has a $25 million net worth, and Days of Our Lives star Deidra Hall is estimated to be worth £12 million.
