When people think of the richest celebrities, names like Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, or even George Clooney usually come to mind. But here’s the twist – an actress who ruled the screen in the ’80s is wealthier than all of them combined. Jami Gertz, once known for her roles in Sixteen Candles, Endless Love, Less Than Zero, and The Lost Boys, has quietly built a financial empire that few in Hollywood can rival. Despite staying away from the limelight for years, her estimated net worth sits at a jaw-dropping $8 billion.
So, how did she get there? The secret lies in her long-time marriage to billionaire Tony Ressler. Gertz married Ressler in 1989, back when she was actually the breadwinner. In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she cleared up the biggest misconception about her wealth: “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.”
Back then, Ressler was just starting out in banking. But his career took off in a big way. In 1990, he co-founded Apollo Global Management, one of the largest private equity firms in the world. Not stopping there, he later launched Ares Management in 1997, which now oversees over $300 billion in assets globally. Their financial ventures alone would have made them massively rich – but they didn’t stop there.
In 2015, Gertz and Ressler bought the NBA team Atlanta Hawks for a reported $720 million. They also hold a minority stake in the MLB team Milwaukee Brewers, showing that their investments are as diverse as they are lucrative.
Beyond money, the couple is deeply involved in philanthropy. They founded The Painted Turtle, a nonprofit camp that allows children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses to experience the joy of camping. In a 2008 essay for HuffPost, Gertz wrote about wanting to give back and offer every child the same beautiful camp memories she and her husband had growing up.
Even though she hasn’t been acting regularly, Gertz is far from forgotten. She’s a part-owner of major sports franchises, helps run a billion-dollar investment firm behind the scenes, and continues to support causes she believes in. The couple also has three sons: Oliver, Nicholas, and Theo, who are growing up with a legacy that’s built on love, not just fortune.
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