We naturally assume that the world’s wealthiest actors are the ones commanding eight-figure salaries for global blockbusters. It seems logical that the faces on every billboard would hold the deepest pockets in the industry.
Yet, the current holder of this title is not a Marvel superhero or a leading action star, but a performer who hasn’t headlined a major film in years. This financial anomaly often leads to wild speculation about the true source of such immense capital, forcing the star herself to set the record straight regarding the origins of her multi-billion dollar empire.
The Actor Whose Wealth Dwarfs the A-List
When people think of the wealthiest actors, names like Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. typically come to mind. Keanu Reeves reportedly earned a staggering $156 million for his work on The Matrix sequels, while Cruise commands salaries exceeding $100 million for multiple films. Looking beyond Hollywood, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan boasts a net worth of approximately $1.4 billion. Yet, verified financial data reveals that none of these global icons hold the title of the richest actor in the world.
That distinction belongs to Jami Gertz. Although she is well-known for her acting roles in The Lost Boys, Twister, and Ally McBeal, her financial standing dwarfs that of her peers. Reports estimate her net worth at $3 billion, with some recent sources like Celebrity Net Worth valuing her fortune at as high as $12 billion. This places her well above industry titans such as George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even Oprah Winfrey. While Gertz has maintained a steady and successful career since the 1980s, the sheer magnitude of this fortune has naturally led to questions regarding its primary source.
Dispelling the “Marrying Rich” Myth
Because Gertz is married to billionaire financier Tony Ressler, public perception often incorrectly attributes her entire net worth to his success. However, Gertz has vocally dismantled the theory that she simply married into money. When the couple first met in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, the financial dynamic was actually the inverse of what many assume. Gertz was already a prolific actress with steady work in films like The Lost Boys and Sixteen Candles, commanding a significant income.
Ressler, conversely, was an employee at Drexel Burnham Lambert—a bank that would later declare bankruptcy. He was a working professional, but he had not yet amassed his fortune. Gertz clarified this timeline during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “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.”
Gertz, who comes from a working-class background in Glenview, Illinois, noted that she married Ressler simply because she fell in love with him, not for a safety net. Her Hollywood earnings provided the couple’s initial financial stability, proving that her status as a high-net-worth individual began with her own paycheck. While their combined wealth eventually skyrocketed, the seed capital for their life together came from her acting career, not his investment portfolio.
Building a Financial Empire Together
While Gertz provided the initial financial foundation, the couple’s billionaire status is largely the result of Ressler’s strategic moves in the private equity sector. Following the collapse of his previous employer, Drexel Burnham Lambert, Ressler did not retreat. Instead, he co-founded Apollo Global Management in 1990 and later launched Ares Management in 1997. These firms specialize in acquiring companies in financial distress and turning their fortunes around. Ressler once described the scale of their operations to The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “We’re a $125-ish billion asset manager.”
Gertz was not content to remain solely in front of the camera as their wealth grew. Recognizing that acting roles for women can diminish over time, she pivoted to the business side of the industry. In 2010, she founded Lime Orchard Productions. She candidly explained her motivation: “You reach an age, and you slow down, and the jobs are a little hard to come by. So I decided to put money into a project of my own.”
This venture had mixed results. While her company produced the critically acclaimed film A Better Life, which earned Demián Bichir an Oscar nomination, it was not a massive financial windfall. Gertz admitted to investing millions of her own money into projects that did not always yield high returns. However, this experience solidified her transition from actress to active business partner, setting the stage for their high-profile investments in professional sports.
A Strategic Partnership in Professional Sports
Gertz and Ressler expanded their influence beyond Hollywood and Wall Street in 2015 when they led a group, including NBA legend Grant Hill, to purchase the Atlanta Hawks for a reported $720 million. This acquisition followed a controversy involving the previous owner, and the couple immediately set out to rebuild the organization’s reputation and infrastructure. Their tenure has included funding a state-of-the-art sports medicine center and financing a major renovation of the team’s arena.
Unlike many celebrity owners who treat sports teams as vanity assets, Gertz took on a functional, executive role. She serves as the team’s ambassador and is a fixture at official events, famously representing the Hawks at the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery. Her involvement provides a crucial balance to Ressler’s analytical approach. While Ressler focuses on the financial structure and player personnel, Gertz manages the organization’s relationship with the community and the media.
Ressler openly credits Gertz with bridging the gap between the ownership suite and the fans. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he admitted, “I think it’s fair to say that she makes a better impression on our fan base than any of us in the organization. I’m very active on the business and player personnel decision-making. But Jami steps in when it comes to so many parts of the business that I did not appreciate or have any experience in.”
This division of labor extends to their other holdings as well, including a minority stake in the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers. Gertz leveraged her public persona to humanize their business dealings, proving that her value to their joint estate goes far beyond her initial acting capital.
Defining Success Beyond the Balance Sheet
The headlines focus on the $3 billion figure, but the true measure of Jami Gertz’s success lies in how she utilizes that leverage. Rather than simply hoarding resources, she and Ressler have consistently prioritized high-impact philanthropy. They co-founded the Painted Turtle Camp, an organization that provides a free, year-round camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Furthermore, Gertz serves on the board of the Melanoma Research Alliance, the largest nonprofit funder of melanoma research worldwide.
In 2012, their foundation donated approximately $10 million, cementing their status as one of the most charitable celebrity couples. Gertz explicitly stated that her goal was to “make community service a family affair,” ensuring that the privilege of wealth was balanced with a responsibility to the public. The ultimate takeaway from her narrative is that financial freedom is a tool, not just a status symbol. Gertz demonstrates that whether you are pivoting careers or managing a massive estate, the most enduring investment you can make is in the well-being of others.
