The little girl in this photo grew up to be the richest actress in the world, so can you guess who she is?
If you asked the average person to name the richest actor alive, they would almost certainly guess wrong.
The common answers would consist mostly of Hollywood’s most bankable stars – George Clooney, Meryl Streep, or maybe Angelina Jolie.
Yet none of them come close to the extraordinary net worth held by a woman who, for many, is little more than a distant memory from a handful of 1980s and 1990s films.
Her name rarely appears in tabloid headlines, she doesn’t headline major studio releases, and she doesn’t dominate red carpets.
Yet still, she is reportedly worth more than three billion dollars – so how could someone so relatively low-profile outrank every A-lister in Hollywood?
Her childhood
Long before she shocked the world by topping wealth lists, this future billionaire was just a girl from suburban Glenview, growing up far from the glitter of Los Angeles.
Nothing in her early years suggested that she would one day become the wealthiest actor alive.
As a teenager, she began landing roles in films that would soon become cult classics. Her performances were warm, relatable, and instantly memorable.
Throughout the 1980s, audiences saw her appear in some of the decade’s most beloved movies, the kinds of films that shaped an entire generation’s sense of nostalgia.
Her rising career even extended into television, where she popped up in fan-favorite sitcoms, leaving an impression despite limited screen time.
By the early 1990s, her acting career was steady and successful. She was recognized, respected, and often remembered fondly by movie-goers.
But unlike many rising stars, she showed no desire to chase the constant, exhausting spotlight of Hollywood.
She didn’t seek fame for fame’s sake. She didn’t embrace the chaotic publicity machine. She preferred privacy, stability, and a life grounded in something more lasting than celebrity.
That choice proved to be life-changing. It opened the door to meeting the man who would become her husband, a young financier who didn’t initially know her body of work.
Her marriage
They married in 1989, long before either of them imagined just how dramatically their lives would evolve.
She has spoken openly about those years, describing how she earned more than he did when they met and how she paid for their first home and their first vacation together.
But as their marriage grew, so did his ambition.
In 1990, he co-founded Apollo Global Management, which would blossom into one of the most powerful private equity firms in the world.
Years later, he co-founded Ares Management, another financial titan. With time, he expanded into sports ownership, acquiring stakes in major US teams, including the Atlanta Hawks.
Through it all, she remained deeply involved in their shared life, raising their four children and shaping their philanthropic mission.
Philanthropic pursuits
Their immense wealth has never simply been about accumulation.
In 2012, they were recognized as the year’s top charitable donors after contributing more than ten million dollars to their foundation. Their giving supports the arts, education programs, health initiatives, and Jewish organizations.
She also lends her time and leadership to the Melanoma Research Alliance, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of research into the disease.
Despite her own acting career and early financial independence, she has still faced criticism from those who assume she is wealthy solely because of her husband.
She has pushed back firmly on this narrative – when they met, she was the breadwinner.
Her eventual fortune became possible because of choices they made together, long before billion-dollar valuations and private equity headlines. She helped build the life she lives today, and she has every right to claim ownership of that success.
And the world’s richest actress is…
After years out of the spotlight, she reentered public conversation when people discovered her astonishing net worth.
Jami Gertz didn’t chase fame, but her huge roles in Twister and The Lost Boys, alongside her handful of appearances on popular TV comedies, everything from Seinfeld to Modern Family, make her recognizable to many viewers.
But it’s her work in the business world that has earned her the title of the richest actress in the world today…
