Celebrities Who Have Built Huge Business Empires

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May 15, 2022 By Harry Evans

Our televisions, magazine covers, and movie screens are filled with attractive faces. But how well-versed are you in the life and times of your preferred celebrity? For example, did you know that Khloe Kardashian has a net worth of almost $50 million owing to her business endeavors and her reality star salary? Right you are. She's more than just a gorgeous face; she's a well-known entrepreneur.


It's no secret, though, that Beats by Dre founder Dr. Dre used to be a rapper before he started his own headphone company. Dr. Dre is now worth an estimated $800 million, but those headphones aren't that pricey. Many people don't realize that he started his production firm when he left Death Row Records.


Many celebrities, including actors, rappers, singers, and actresses, have found success with new ventures. Even while their popularity helped make their new endeavors a success, even their impact is limited.


Kate Hudson—Worth $80 Million



With her famous parents, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson has been surrounded by fame since a young age. She had to dip her toe in the water to see whether she liked it, and she discovered that acting was a good fit for her. Her big break as a star came in 2001 with her role in the film Almost Famous, which launched her career as an actor.


Later in the decade, she'd be seen in such films as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Raising Helen, and The Skeleton Key, massive hits. Fabletics, an athletic apparel brand founded in 2013 by Kate and two other partners, has since grown to 22 retail locations across the United States. Cosmic Entertainment was formed by Kate, her brother Oliver and her parents.


Taraji P Henson Worth $25 Million



We never expected Taraji P. Henson to become a household name, yet here she is! On the big screen, she's been nominated for an Oscar for her roles in Hustle and Flow and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the highly acclaimed program Empire on Fox for her role as Cookie. She's become more of an entrepreneur recently, and she's also gotten her hands on some philanthropic endeavors.


Among her many accomplishments is founding the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to making mental health treatment more affordable for those in need. Taraji's TPH by Teraji haircare brand is slated to hit Target stores worldwide on January 29, 2021. Her TPH Entertainment production firm is now working with Fox Network on an Empire spinoff series that has yet to be named.


Lauren Conrad Worth $40 Million



We had no idea how big of a star Lauren Conrad would become after her stints on MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills, but boy, was we wrong. Even while filming The Hills and attending college, she received an accredited education, and she immediately put that degree to use in her career path.


During LA Fashion Week in 2008, Conrad debuted her apparel brand, The Lauren Conrad Collection. After the previous collection's failure, she decided to give it another go. When Lauren Conrad and Kohl's teamed together in 2009 to establish the LC by Lauren Conrad fashion brand, it quickly became a worldwide success. Aside from that, she's a published novelist, has authored her first book in 2009, and followed up with numerous more.


Nelly Worth $60 Million



Nelly hasn't released any new music in a while but is assured that he's been hard at work developing his empire behind the scenes. As well as selling one million cans of 'Pimp Juice' sports drink in its first two months, he has also branched out into a slew of other businesses. Reebok, Ford, Got Milk? and Nike is among his current and former sponsors. Before Michael Jordan acquired the Charlotte Bobcats, he operated a thriving women's apparel company called Apple Bottom Jeans.


Drew Barrymore Worth $125 Million



In her six-year career, I'm not sure where to begin. Even with over 60 acting credits under her belt, superstar Drew Barrymore couldn't command that kind of money through performing alone. As a filmmaker, she is both a producer and director and the proprietor of Flower Films, which has produced several of her films since 1999.


The 2019 remake of Charlie's Angels was likewise produced by Flower Films, which also holds the rights to the two Charlie's Angels films. In addition to being a triple threat in Hollywood, you might be shocked to learn that Drew Barrymore is an intelligent entrepreneur. She is an entrepreneur at heart in addition to working on the large and small screens, behind the camera, and even further afield. Now, she not only has her daytime chat program on NBC, but she also has her own cosmetics line, clothesline, and wine label.


Gwyneth Paltrow Worth $150 Million



Gwyneth Paltrow is a household name because of her successful film career, which began in the early 1990s. Se7en was her first feature film role, but her portrayal of Viola in Shakespeare in Love garnered her both an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for best actress. Her mother, Tony Award-winning actress Blythe Danner, makes her a member of the illustrious second generation of Hollywood aristocracy.


Even though she has had a great cinematic career, her $150 million wealth is not entirely due. That begs the question: how does she manage to have so much cheddar? New-age suggestions like cutting out white foods and cultivating a healthy inner life were first offered by Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow in a weekly email newsletter in 2008. The brand has expanded to include a website that sells various health goods to date. According to estimates, GOP was predicted to be worth $250 million in 2019 alone.


Sofia Vergara Worth $180 Million



For her portrayal of Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family, Sofia Vergara is widely recognized as an actress, model, and spokesperson. At $500,000 per episode on Modern Family and $10 million per year on America's Got Talent, she has been dubbed one of the highest-paid actors in the world. She has successful modeling and television career and her acting and talent judging roles. As a result of her acting, modeling, and public relations work has accumulated a sizable fortune; nonetheless, she also launched a clothing brand for Kmart in 2011. Additionally, she co-founded EBY.com, an online panty subscription service for female customers.


Reese Witherspoon Worth $200 Million



Since her debut in the 1991 picture Man in the Moon, our hearts have burst with joy. But it wasn't until 1999's Cruel Intentions that she finally became a household name. Since then, she has starred in at least 60 films and won an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in 2005's Walk the Line. Her most famous role has been as Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde series.


Reese Witherspoon may portray Elle Woods, but she's got a solid head on her shoulders when running a business. As a producer, she has more than 35 production credits to her name, including Legally Blonde 2, Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, The Morning Show, and roughly 11 more projects in development or have been announced.


Jessica Alba Worth $200 Million



Idle Hands, a 1999 film starring Devon Sawa and Jessica Alba, launched Alba's career as an actor. Honey, and Into the Blue are among the films she has appeared in since then. Since being married and having children, she's continued to perform, albeit in lesser roles.


However, this does not imply that she is in financial difficulty. In truth, this is not the case at all. The Honest Company, which offers nontoxic household items, was co-founded by her. About 15 to 20 percent of the company's assets were valued at $756 million as of 2017.


Jessica Simpson Worth $200 Million




Jessica recorded seven studio albums between 1999 and 2010, the first of which sold 1.9 million copies in the United States, had three singles, and was certified double platinum. It wasn't as successful as her debut record, so she started appearing in movies like The Dukes of Hazzard and Employee of the Month.


After losing 60 pounds on the Weight Watchers program, she became a spokesman for cosmetic goods like Proactiv. Jessica Simpson is a fashion billionaire when all else fails, thanks to her Jessica Simpson collection. The Jessica Simpson collection, of which she owns 37.5 percent and receives around $30 million a year in revenue, was sold for $120 million in 2015, for about 62.5 percent of her total holdings.


Mark Wahlberg Worth $300 Million



Even as a teenager, Mark Wahlberg was already a famous model and rapper who established that he was a triple threat in the entertainment industry. His recent high-profile roles are in the Transformers and Daddy's Home franchises, respectively. In addition to Entourage, Ballers, Shooter, and Boardwalk Empire were examples of his work as a producer for HBO. In addition, he and his brothers Donnie and Paul run Wahlburgers, a hugely successful burger restaurant. The three brothers also had a hit reality program on TLC called "3 Brothers" from 2014 to 2019.


Cindy Crawford Worth $400 Million



Cindy Crawford was one of the first "supermodels" of the 1980s and 1990s and dominated magazine covers, runways, and fashion campaigns. From 1989 through 1995, she made a lot of money hosting the fashion show House of Style and appearing bare-chested in Playboy Magazine. In 1989, she agreed to a multimillion-dollar agreement with Revlon to see her serve as their spokeswoman for the next four years.


Even after announcing her retirement from modeling in 2000, she showed no signs of slowing down. Along with her several real estate holdings and a book release in 2016, Cindy Crawford owns a furniture brand with Raymour &'' Flanigan called Cindy Crawford HOME.


Francis Ford Coppola Worth $400 Million



Director, producer, and screenwriter Francis Ford Coppola is most known in the United States for his work on the Godfather film series Apocalypse Now and The Outsiders. As a screenwriter and director, he has been nominated for many Academy Awards. Despite how successful the Godfather trilogy is, the royalties will never be worth $400 million.


He then produced nine other lines of wine under his label. With his recent expansion, he now owns several vineyards and cafés worldwide. He also has his lifestyle magazine and various family-friendly "hideaways."


Robert De Niro Worth $500 Million



No wonder Robert DeNiro is a well-off actor; he has appeared on the screen since 1965, won his first Oscar in 1974, and has since been nominated for more than 130 Oscars, winning 64 of them. His acting isn't capable of earning him $500 million in wealth. If you didn't know, Robert DeNiro has produced and directed 37 films in addition to his 126 acting credits.


Robert DeNiro co-founded the posh Japanese Peruvian restaurant and luxury hotel known as the Nobu Hospitality brand with chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa and fellow film director Meir Teper in 1994. The Tribeca Grill in New York City is one of 46 restaurants and 13 hotels he co-owns worldwide. As a result of the Covid Pandemic, Robert DeNiro's net worth may have fallen in 2020.


Rihanna Worth $550 Million



Robyn Rihanna, also known by her stage name Rihanna, When Pon de Replay by Rihanna Fenty hit the airwaves in 2005, the world was forever changed. Eight studio albums and more than 20 number-one singles later, Rihanna has racked up nine Grammys for her efforts. A $550 million net worth doesn't make sense even if her albums have been certified Gold or Platinum.


Fenty Beauty is a cosmetics company that Rihanna co-owns with her husband, Chris Brown. As reported by CNBC, in its first month, the cosmetics brand made $72 million, and by the end of 2018, it had made $570 million in sales. The music and commercial interests of Rihanna bring her an annual income of up to $70 million. Sources tell us that she is now working on a new studio album.

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