When we think of billionaires, our minds tend to jump to tech titans like Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos. But in the realm of celebrity, there are a select few who have quietly joined the exclusive Three Comma Club – turning talent, timing and business savvy into staggering fortunes. From directors who outsmarted film studios to pop icons taking the beauty industry by storm, these A-listers have built empires that stretch far beyond their day jobs. Join HELLO! as we reveal which household names have billionaire status – and some may genuinely surprise you.
George Lucas
© Getty Images for TCMThe creator of Star Wars isn't just a billionaire – he's one of the richest directors in history. His galaxy far, far away not only spawned sequels, spin-offs and endless quotes, but also a merchandising empire. It all began when he created his production company, Lucasfilm, in 1971, and began to push for Star Wars to be greenlit. When it was finally picked up, George made an unprecedented move while negotiating his director's salary. Instead of accepting £366,000, he took £110,000, with the guarantee that he could hold on to any potential sequel and merchandising rights. At the time, 20th Century Fox considered toys and follow-ups worthless – a decision that has since gone down in Hollywood folklore. I'd hate to be the executive who signed off on that deal. The franchise now holds the Guinness World Record for the most successful film merchandising ever, valued at more than £22 billion in 2012 (before the final three films were released, so you know that number is likely miles higher today).
© Getty ImagesStar Wars wasn't only a commercial success upon its release in 1977, it was also a critical darling. It received 10 Oscar nominations, winning seven in total, and turned its main cast into superstars virtually overnight. George also co-created, co-wrote and produced the Indiana Jones films (as if one blockbuster universe wasn't enough). Lucasfilm was then sold to Disney in 2012 for a jaw-dropping £3 billion in stock and cash. After this major move, he virtually retired from making movies and set his sights on charitable endeavours like the George Lucas Educational Foundation, which aims to improve education for kids across the board (it's giving Jedi academy). He also has a sprawling property in California named Skywalker Ranch (of course) that is thought to be worth over £72 million today. His total net worth comes to £3.9 billion – not bad for someone who walked away from a blockbuster career.
Steven Spielberg
© Getty ImagesGeorge's close friend and frequent collaborator has done even better, boasting an eye-popping net worth of £5.2 billion. You might be thinking, 'What?' or 'How?' (same), but the answer is simple: a deal giving him two per cent annually of the box office receipts from most Universal theme parks, including Japan, Singapore, Beijing and Florida, in perpetuity. Yep, you read that right: forever. Steven Spielberg shot to fame with Jaws in 1975, and went on to become the highest-grossing director of all time, beating out James Cameron, the Russo brothers and Peter Jackson. He also gave us classics like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and Schindler's List. If you haven't seen any of these films, then what are you doing?!
© Getty ImagesThe icon also co-founded DreamWorks Studios in 1994, the studio behind the Shrek, Madagascar and How To Train Your Dragon franchises (which are coincidentally some of my favourite films ever). Steven's net worth will likely keep climbing; he revealed during his speech at the opening of his eponymous theatre at Universal Studios that he had "no plans – ever – to retire". Clearly, this workaholic’s empire is only getting bigger.
Oprah Winfrey
© Getty Images for Massachusetts CWe know and love her as arguably the greatest talk show host of all time, but did you know that Oprah became a billionaire way back in 2003? She was also the first Black woman to join the ranks, and her wealth has only grown exponentially since.
The Mississippi native cleverly transformed The Oprah Winfrey Show, which won her 47 Daytime Emmys, into a media empire. It included the OWN cable network, a lucrative partnership with WeightWatchers, and a 2018 deal with Apple that gave her the freedom to create a book club, documentaries, and TV series. In short, she doesn't just own her brand; she is the brand.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyOprah turned WeightWatchers into a global success, and joined the board of directors in 2015. She owned a 10% stake in the company and was a spokesperson until 2024. ''I believe in WW's mission and the power of its program to create positive, lasting change for everyone who wants a partner to help support them in pursuing a stronger, healthier life,'' she said in a statement in 2019. ''I am fully committed to WW's future and our continued partnership, and I intend to continue my service on WW's board of directors into 2025.'' The company's stock reportedly soared 500% after she came on board – the Oprah effect in action.
She left the company in 2024 to avoid any conflict of interest when talking about her experience with weight loss medications like Ozempic, and unexpectedly donated her stake to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. One thing about Oprah? She always gives back.
© InstagramThe 71-year-old has also made money from her acting career, having appeared in The Color Purple, Beloved, and Selma, to name a few. She was also reportedly paid between £5 and £6.5 million for her iconic 2021 interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (we all remember where we were when it aired, right?). Like most savvy businesspeople, Oprah also has an incredible real estate portfolio of around £110 million, including 2,100 acres of land in Hawaii. Her net worth currently sits at £2.3 billion.
Rihanna
© Variety via Getty ImagesThe 'Umbrella' singer isn't just an award-winning artist; she's also leading the way in the world of beauty and fashion. Despite not releasing an album since 2016's Anti (we're still waiting, RiRi), she continues to rake in the dollars thanks to her revolutionary Fenty Beauty brand, which launched in 2017 to critical acclaim. Fenty was one of the first beauty brands to bring inclusion to the fore, with over 50 shades of foundation made for every skin type. This wasn't just a gimmick; it was a whole makeup movement. In 2024, it was named the top-earning celebrity beauty brand in the world, valued at an incredible £2 billion. Fenty is also co-owned by French luxury retailer LVMH, in case you needed more convincing that her brand was a winner.
© Jan Kruger
© Getty Images for Fenty Hair
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for SavRihanna then launched Savage x Fenty, her clothing brand that features size-inclusive lingerie, sleepwear and loungewear, and changed the game when she staged the brand's fashion show in 2018.
Savage x Fenty rejected the traditions of the lingerie industry, which was dominated by brands like Victoria's Secret at the time that only featured typically thin models. The Barbadian beauty was praised not only for her inclusivity but also for the artistic vision of the shows, the likes of which had not been seen before.
Rihanna also launched Fenty Hair in 2024, continuing to expand her empire day by day. At the beginning of the year, her net worth peaked at a cool £1 billion, but dipped slightly to £733 million after challenges in the Chinese market. Still, that's hardly small change.
Michael Jordan
© FilmMagicThe NBA legend joined the billionaires club in 2014, and became the first professional athlete to do so (I mean, it is His Airness after all). Michael amassed his wealth primarily through brand deals with Hanes, Gatorade, and most importantly, Nike.
He earns roughly 5% from all Jordan Brand sales, with the product continuing to fly off the shelves each year. His agent, David Falk, spoke on The Herd with Colin Cowherd in 2020, sharing that they initially expected to make £2 million in four years once the Air Jordans were released. Instead, they made £92 million in a single year. Now that's what I call a slam dunk.
© WireImageAs well as this lucrative deal, Michael also invested in the sports gambling company DraftKings and the NASCAR 23XI Racing team. He bought the NBA team the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 and sold it 13 years later for a whopping £2.1 billion, yet still has a minority stake. And let's not forget when the father of five made £14.6 million alone from starring in Space Jam, and raked in £66 million from his illustrious basketball career. The GOAT is now worth £2.8 billion, and has kept his winning streak going despite retiring from the court in 2003.
Kim Kardashian
© Patrick McMullan via Getty ImageWho would've thought that a reality TV star could go on to become one of the wealthiest celebrities in Hollywood? Not me, that's for sure! While she worked steadily for years to increase her net worth, Kim's luck came when she launched her brands KKW Beauty, KKW Fragrance, and SKIMS, a shapewear line that went gangbusters.
"It's the first time I've moved away from having licensing deals and transitioned into being an owner," she told Forbes of her cosmetics brand.
She sold her stake in KKW Beauty to Coty in 2020 for an eye-popping £147 million, before rebranding it to SKKN by Kim in 2022. She also began earning TV paychecks again when The Kardashians premiered on Hulu in the same year. ''I've always had that insane drive,'' Kim explained to WealthSimple.
© Getty''If I want something bad enough, I always figure it out. Before, I used to be just like, Oh, it's luck. But I have this drive inside of me where I’m just like, Okay, this is the vision that I see for us and for the family, and let’s make it happen.'' Say what you will about her so-called lack of talent, but the proof is in her paycheck.
Aside from her successful brands, Kim also has a property portfolio reportedly worth more than £73 million, while investments in Disney, Amazon, Netflix and Adidas broadened her empire. Kim is now worth £1.2 billion – she's come a long way from organising closets in LA, that's for sure.
Taylor Swift
© Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagThe world's biggest pop star reached billionaire status in October 2023, propelled by her smash-hit Eras Tour. With stops in 149 countries, it raked in more than £1.4 billion in ticket sales alone – not to mention the merch! According to The New York Times, that is double the gross ticket sales of any other concert tour in history. Would we expect anything less from Miss Americana herself?
The Grammy winner is also the first musician to hit the billionaires list based primarily on her songs and tours, unlike other entries, including Rihanna, who made the bulk of her fortune from her entrepreneurial endeavours. Taylor's music catalogue is said to be worth £440 million and was the subject of contention in recent years after it was sold to Scooter Braun's company, Ithaca Holdings, in 2019.
© GettyAs a pie in the face to the talent manager, the 'Cruel Summer' singer began to release the 'Taylor's Version' of her earlier records, asking fans to stop streaming and buying the originals to avoid funnelling money to Scooter. In case it wasn't clear, no one does revenge quite like Taylor. This wild idea worked, and she was able to buy her masters back in May 2025 from Shamrock Capital for an estimated £264 million.
''To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,'' she wrote on her website after announcing the news. ''To my fans, you know how important this has been to me — so much so that I meticulously re-recorded and released four of my albums, calling them Taylor’s Version.''
© Getty''The passionate support you showed those albums and the success story you turned The Eras Tour into is why I was able to buy back my music. I can't thank you enough for helping to reunite me with this art that I have dedicated my life to, but have never owned until now.'' I'm not crying, I just have something in my eye…
Aside from her catalogue, Taylor is also somewhat of a property mogul, having a portfolio of £110 million. She is worth a whopping £1.2 billion in total, which basically makes her American royalty.
Jay-Z
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe rapper-turned-business-mogul became a billionaire in 2019, after diversifying his income streams to the nth degree. His journey to wealth is truly inspiring – he grew up in a housing project in Brooklyn, before taking the world by storm as an award-winning rapper and producer.
When it comes to music, Jay's catalogue is estimated to be worth around £73 million. He owns his masters and his publishing rights, meaning that the Grammy winner makes money any time his work is used in films, TV shows, or as samples in other music. As for touring, his On the Run and On the Run II tours with his wife (and my hero) Beyoncé in 2014 and 2018 made a total of £265 million. I call that a power couple!
© Myrna SuarezBeyond music, Jay's art collection is worth a reported £51 million, with pieces from Jean-Michel Basquiat thrown in (impeccable taste in my opinion). The father of three had major shares in the music streaming service Tidal, which he sold in 2021 for £220 million (damn, he's good!), and held a majority stake in alcohol brand Bacardi. He went on to create the cognac brand D'Ussé until he sold it for a reported £550 million.
Jay started his own media company, Roc Nation, in 2008, which has gone on to represent some of the world's most successful artists. He sold his clothing line, Rocawear, a year prior for a whopping £150 million, and went on to buy a £147 million mega-mansion in Malibu for his family.
At the time, it was the highest amount ever paid for a home in California. Is there anything this man can't do? With a net worth of £1.9 billion, Jay-Z has truly rewritten the meaning of success.
