In an old photograph — a smiling little girl who had no idea she would one day appear at the top of the world’s wealth rankings. A person tabloids barely mention, someone who avoids red carpets and doesn’t chase fame. And yet she is the richest actress on the planet.
Ask random people to name the wealthiest actor or actress, and you’ll hear predictions like Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, or Meryl Streep. And all of them… would be wrong. The real record-holder quietly stepped away from Hollywood years ago and remains, for many, just a warm memory from films of the 80s and 90s.
She doesn’t collect countless awards, scandalous headlines, or endless interviews. She doesn’t thrive on hype or compete at the box office. And still, her net worth exceeds three billion dollars. How did someone so low-profile surpass every Hollywood legend?
Her childhood passed far from the lights of Los Angeles — in a quiet American suburb. No one could have predicted that this girl from Glenview, who loved theatre and reading, would someday become the richest actress on earth. As a teenager, she began landing roles in movies that would later become cult classics: warm, relatable characters that left a mark even if she wasn’t the main star.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, she appeared in films beloved by a whole generation, and in sitcoms where she sometimes had only a few scenes — yet viewers still remembered her. Successful, charming, but without any desire to live under the spotlight. She avoided loud fame, choosing privacy and stability — and this very trait led her to a life-changing meeting.
In 1989 she married a young financier. At that time, she was earning more than he did — she paid for their first home, their vacations, their everyday life. But that modest man would later become one of the most influential figures in global finance. He founded Apollo Global Management, and later Ares Management — giants that reshaped the world of private capital and sports ownership.
Despite their massive fortune, the couple is widely known for their philanthropy: donating millions to education, healthcare, and cultural initiatives. She actively contributes to the Melanoma Research Alliance, helping fund research against a deadly disease. And yes, she has faced criticism from those who say she “became rich thanks to her husband.” But the truth is different: when they met, she was the breadwinner. And every life-changing decision was made together, long before the billions.
And now, after years away from the spotlight, her name is resurfacing — as the richest actress in the world.
The little girl in the photograph is Jami Gertz. She never chased stardom, but her roles in Twister, The Lost Boys, Seinfeld, and Modern Family made her recognizable. And her business decisions made her the wealthiest actress on the planet.
