The 20 Richest Actresses in the World
A career in acting is one of two extremes. On the one hand, there are actors who struggle to find work and to make ends meet. To the other extreme, there are those who have long-standing contracts with popular television series or who are in high demand for feature films. Women who have become successful actresses can find that it is a potentially lucrative career, and many of those who are at the top of their game are extremely wealthy. Here are the 20 richest actresses in the world in 2019.
20. Drew Barrymore – $125 Million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Drew Barrymore has a net worth of $125 million. She was a famous child actress following her performance in ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial’ in 1982. Barrymore continued to enjoy success throughout her teens and into adulthood. Her films include ‘’50 First Dates’, ‘Scream’, ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘Ever After’, ‘Poison Ivy’, and ‘Whip It’. She also starred in the Netflix series ‘Santa Clara Diet’ from 2009 to 2019. It is estimated that she currently has an annual salary of $15 million a year. Barrymore has been married three times and has two children.
19. Jennifer Lawrence – $130 Million
In 2015, Jennifer Lawrence was the highest paid actress in the world. She began her television career appearing in the sitcom ‘The Bill Engvall Show’ and then her film debut in ‘Garden Party’. She gained wide recognition for playing Mystique/ Raven Darkholme in the ‘X-Men’ series of films. Her career really took off when she landed the lead role in the ‘Hunger Games’ series of films. Her other films include ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, ‘American Hustle’, ‘Passengers’, and ‘Red Sparrow’. She is engaged to Cooke Maroney.
18. Cameron Diaz – $140 Million
It is hardly surprising that Cameron Diaz is such a wealth and in-demand actress as her films have totaled $billion at the U.S. domestic box office and $7 billion worldwide. This means that she is the fifth highest grossing actress in the United States. She was originally a model but made her film debut in the 1994 comedy film ‘The Mask’. Other films for which she is known include ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, ‘Knight and Day’, ‘There’s Something About Mary’, ‘’Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle’, ‘The Other Woman’, and ‘Sex Tape’.
17. Demi Moore – $150 Million
Demi Moore has a net worth of $150 million, says Wealthy Gorilla. She began her career as a model and songwriter before becoming an actress. She became known as one of the Brat Pack because of her roles in films during the 1980s. In 1990, she played the lead female role in ‘Ghost’ opposite Patrick Swayze. Other films that were commercially successful include ‘Disclosure’, ‘Indecent Proposal’, ‘G.I. Jane’, ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘Striptease’, and ‘Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle’. She has been married three times and has three daughters with her second husband, Bruce Willis.
16. Angelina Jolie – $160 Million
Following a hugely successful career in the film industry, The Travel says that Angelina Jolie has an estimated net worth of $160 million. She has been named as both the world’s most beautiful woman and the highest paid actress on multiple occasions. Some of her most successful films include ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’, ‘Changeling’, ‘Salt’, ‘Wanted’, and Maleficent. She has been married three times and has six children.
15. Xuxa Meneghel – $160 Million
Meneghal is a Brazilian actress, television host, singer, model, and businesswoman. It is estimated that she has an annual income of around $19 million. She started her television career with ‘Clube da Crianca’ in the early 1980s. She then raised her profile with the series ‘Xou da Xuxa’. As a singer, she has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, which means she is the second-highest-selling female Brazilian artist after Rita Lee. She is currently the richest Brazilian female entertainer.
14. Miley Cyrus – $160 Million
Miley Cyrus is the daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus. She began her career as child when she had minor roles in films such as ‘Big Fish’ and ‘Doc’. In 2006, she starred in the television series ‘Hannah Montana and later its spin-off film. She also starred in the 2010 film ‘The Last Song’ and provided a voice for the 2008 animated film ‘Bolt’. On television, she has been a coach on ‘The Voice’, hosted the MTV Music Awards, and hosted Saturday Night Live. She is also a singer and songwriter.
13. Catherine Deneuve – $185 Million
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress who has occasionally worked as a model, singer, and producer. She is the richest French actress in the world with a net worth of $185 million. Deneuve won Cesar Awards for her performances in ‘The Last Metro’ and ‘Indochine’. Other films for which she is famous include ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’, ‘Repulsion’, ‘The Young Girls of Rochefort’, ‘Donkey Skin’, ‘The Hunger’, and ‘Dancer in the Dark’. She has been married four times and has two children.
12. Krysten Ritter – $185 Million
Born in Pennsylvania, Ritter is an actress, musician, and model. Her best-known television series include ‘The Defenders’, ‘Jessica Jones’, ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Don’t Trust the B…. in Apartment 23’, ‘’Til Death’, ‘Gilmore Girls’, ‘Gravity’, and ‘Veronica Mars’. She has also had a successful career in film with her movies including ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’, ‘The Hero’, ‘Big Eyes’, ‘What Happens in Vegas’, ‘Veronica Mars’, and ‘She’s Out of My League. Ritter has been in a relationship with musician Adam Granduciel since 2014. They have one son, Bruce Julian Knight Granofsky, together.
11. Tracey Ullman – $199.56 Million
The Richest says that Tracey Ullman has net worth of $199.56 million. She is currently the richest British actress and female comedian and also the third richest British comedian overall including men and women. She began her career in 1976, but became popular on British television during the 1980s. In the late 80s, she emigrated to the United States and launched her own comedy series, ‘The Tracey Ullman Show’. Her other series included ‘Tracey Takes On…’, ‘Tracey Breaks the News’, and ‘Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union’. She was married to producer Allan McKeown from 1983 until his death from prostate cancer in 2013. They have a daughter, Mable, and a son, Johnny, together.
10. Julia Roberts- $200 Million
Julia Roberts has a net worth of $200 million. She has won the People magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman in the World award a record five times. When she played the lead role in the 2003 film ‘Mona Lisa’s Smile’, she was paid $25 million. At that time, it made her the highest paid actress in history. Other films for which she is known include ‘Pretty Woman’, ‘Steel Magnolias’, ‘Erin Brokovich’, ‘Wonder’ and ‘Notting Hill. Roberts was married to Lyle Lovett from 1993 until their divorce in 1995. She has been married to second husband Daniel Moder since 2002 and they have three children together.
9. Julia Louis-Dreyfus – $200 Million
As one of the highest paid actresses in the world, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the Time 100 list in 2016. She began her television career on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1982, and she continued to appear on this series until 1985. She then played Elaine Benes on ‘Seinfeld’ for nine seasons. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has also had roles in ‘The new Adventures of Old Christine’ and ‘Veep’. In addition to her successful television career, Louis-Dreyfus has also appeared in films. Some of these include ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’, ‘Hannah and Her Sisters’, ‘Enough Said’, and ‘Deconstructing Harry’. As a voice actress, she has provided voices for ‘Onward’, ‘Planes’, and ‘A Bug’s Life’.
8. Victoria Principal – $200 Million
In her career in television, Victoria Principal is best known for playing Pamela Barnes Ewing in the long-running soap opera series ‘Dallas’. Although she has made a lot of money through her acting career, she has also made money through other ventures. In the late 1980s, she founded her own production company, Victoria Principal Productions. She is also the founder of the skincare brand Principal Secret. Another source of income is her four best-selling books.
7. Sandra Bullock – $200 Million
Many people consider Sandra Bullock one of the most talented actresses of the current day. In both 2010 and 2014, she was the highest-paid actress in the world. She has had a hugely successful career in film, which has won her several accolades. These have included a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award. Some of her most famous films include ‘Speed’, ‘A Time to Kill’, ‘Miss Congeniality’ and its sequel’, ‘While You Were Sleeping’, ‘Two Weeks Notice’, ‘Premonition’, ‘Ocean’s 8’, and ‘Gravity’. Bullock has adopted a son and a daughter.
6. Sasha Alexander – $215 Million
According to Big Wiki, Sasha Alexander has a net worth of $215 million. In television, Alexander has had major roles in ‘Dawson’s Creek’, ‘NCIS’, and ‘Rizzoli & Isles’. She has also had roles in many films, including ‘Yes Man’, ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’, ‘Mission: Impossible III’, and ‘Lucky 13’. In 1999, she married Luka Pecel, but the marriage was later annulled. She then married Edoardo Ponti, who is Sophia Loren’s son. The couple has two children together; Lucia and Leonardo.
5. Jennifer Aniston – $240 Million
In her role as Rachael in ‘Friends’, Jennifer Aniston achieved international fame. She then went on to forge a very successful career in the film industry. Some of her best-known films include ‘We’re the Millers’, ‘Bruce Almighty’, ‘Marley & Me’, ‘Horrible Bosses’, ‘Dumplin’’, ‘The Break-Up’, ‘Just Go With It’, ‘Cake’, ‘The Good Girl’, and ‘Office Space’. In 2008, Aniston co-founded the production company ‘Echo Films’. Aniston was married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005 and was then married to Justin Theroux from 2015 to 2017.
4. Paget Brewster – $245 Million
Paget Brewster is an actress, voice actress, and singer who first rose to fame when she played the recurring role of Kathy on season four of ‘Friends’, although she is now better known for appearing in the crime drama ‘Criminal Minds’ playing Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss. Brewster has also had roles in many films and provided a voice for both television and film animations. She has been married to singer Steve Damastra since 2014. Some of her money has come from property investments and other business ventures.
3. Mia Wasikowska – $275 Million
Wasikowska began her career in 2004 when she landed a role in ‘All Saints’, a popular Australian television series. In 2006, she appeared in her feature film debut ‘Suburban Mayhem’. However, it wasn’t until she starred in the HBO television series ‘In Treatment’ that she began to reach a wider audience. When she appeared in the 2009 film ‘That Evening Sun’, she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. She gained further recognition for her starring roles in films including ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’, ‘The Kids Are All Right’, and Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Crimson Peak’. Some of her upcoming films include ‘Blackbird’, ‘Bergman Island’, and ‘The Devil All the Time’. This Australian actress is currently one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.
2. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen – $300 Million
The Olsen Twins have a shared net worth of around $300 million, so they are amongst the wealthiest actresses in the world. Mary-Kate and Ashley both began their acting careers as children. Currently, they are both taking a break from acting to concentrate on their new careers as fashion designers. However, they have not ruled out a return to the entertainment industry.
1. Jessica Alba – $350 Million
Jessica Alba is currently the richest actress in the world. She began her career at the age of just 13, although she didn’t become internationally famous until she had a role in ‘Dark Angel’ when she was 19. She is now known for her roles in ‘Good Luck Chuck’, ‘Valentines Day’, and ‘Fantastic Four’ and its sequel. In addition to being a famous actress, she is also a successful entrepreneur. She founded The Honest Company, which sells a range of baby and household products, in 2012. The combination of her work as an actress and her business interests mean that she has now accrued a net worth of $350 million.
