Today, the first thing that probably comes to mind when you think of Ellen DeGeneres is her famous television show, where she conducts interviews in front of a live audience. However, DeGeneres had quite a career before her well-known daytime show began. She started off as a comedian in the 1980s and eventually landed her very own sitcom, “Ellen”.
The sitcom actually ended up being so successful that it was often called the “female Seinfeld.” Upon the success of “Ellen”, DeGeneres began to rack up the cash and build a fortune that would eventually amount to an impressive $520 million. Not only has she starred in multiple successful television shows, but DeGeneres has also written four books, runs a record company, is the head of a production company, and manages her own lifestyle brand.
David Letterman — $480 Million
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that hasn’t heard of David Letterman. His name is up in the television host Hall of Fame with personalities like Johnny Carson and Jack Paar. Letterman has led an extremely impressive and long-lasting career, beginning in 1982 and continuing up until 2015. His two most famous shows, "Late Night with David Letterman" and "The Late Show", ran for 6,080 episodes. Letterman was even ranked as one of the 50 best television stars of all time by TV Guide.
In 2015, Letterman announced that he was retiring from television, much to the dismay of his fans. However, his massive net worth continues to expand as Letterman remains steadfast in his career. He now hosts "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" on Netflix and continues to make money through re-runs of "The Late Late Show" as well as "Everybody Loves Raymond", for which his production company is responsible.
Kylie Jenner — $750 Million
It’s hard to imagine what growing up on a reality television show would feel like. Jenner began showcasing her daily life to the world on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" when she was only 10 years old. It must not have done too much damage to her though, because at the young age of 21 Kylie Jenner has become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
Most of Jenner’s wealth has come from her immensely successful makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics. In 2018, Kylie Cosmetics had an 8% growth in revenue stream amassing to about $360 million. The company is valued at $900 million and is completely owned by Kylie Jenner. On top of that, Jenner has earned about $100 million from the business already, adding up to a fortune of $1 billion, which somewhat dropped in recent years.
Johnny Depp — $210 Million
His fame quickly skyrocketed after appearing in the 1980s TV show, "21 Jump Street", and soon he was known everywhere as America’s favorite bad boy. However, Depp proved he was more than an eye candy when he landed numerous roles with the famed eccentric director Tim Burton. Beginning with "Edward Scissorhands" in 1990, Depp went on to work on seven films with Burton, including "Sleepy Hollow" and "Sweeney Todd".
But his net worth reached new heights after landing a deal with Disney’s "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. By 2016, Depp’s net worth reached $400 million, however, a lawsuit from Amber Heard, his ex-wife, soon slashed this fortune in half. Though Depp remains somewhat of an A-list celebrity, these charges certainly put a dent in his net worth and lost him a large chunk of his fan base.
Robert De Niro — $520 Million
Robert De Niro is one of the most well-known actors in Hollywood. His career took off after he landed a starring role in one of the most iconic films in cinema history when he played Vito Corleone in "The Godfather Part II". This role launched him to international success, allowing him to continue to act in classic films like "Taxi Driver" and "Cape Fear."
Though he made a pretty penny from his acting career, what really helped De Niro amass the wealth he currently possesses was his business foresight. Investing in the Nobu restaurant chain and Tribeca Enterprises was a smart move on his part and has certainly paid off. The Tribeca Film Festival alone adds millions to De Niro’s net worth every year. Now that’s an offer nobody could refuse.