World's richest actor worth £2.5 billion is unknown to most people

When we think of the actors with the most amount of cash to their name, there’s a few names that are bound to come straight to mind.

But it’s more likely that your guesses are very, very wrong. Nope, it’s not the likes of Tom Cruise or Adam Sandler or even Julia Roberts.

Instead, the richest actor in the world has been pretty inactive in the industry recently.

Jami Gertz. (TM/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor via Getty Images)

The star with the most amount of money is actually The Lost Boys actor Jami Gertz.

With a crazy net worth of $3 billion, or £2.45 billion to us UK folks (estimated in 2023), Gertz is the richest actor across the globe.

Look, you might be asking ‘who on Earth is she?’ and you’re not alone.

There seems to be an abundance of people who are unable to put their finger on Gertz or any of her roles.

One person had to reach out to the internet for enlightenment: “I’m off to Google first cos this is giving I don’t know who this person is.”

And a fan of the actor wondered why she’s been out of the limelight: “How come I hardly see Jami Gertz in movies? Did she make it from acting, or does she have other incomes?”

Well, her notable film roles include Twister and Sixteen Candles. She's also popped up on the small screen in Seinfeld, The Neighbours, Modern Family and This is Us. Most recently, she appeared in the 2022 film, I Want You Back.

All in all, she's been active for decades, since 1981, but this alone isn't enough to earn her a fortune dwarfing the likes of George Clooney, Robert De Niro and Sandler's net worth.

Gertz has spent her money on some rather spectacular things. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

Yep, as far her impressive wealth is concerned though, it's fair to say it didn't all come from acting. She and her husband are part owners of NBA team the Atlanta Hawks and minority owners of the Milwaukee Beavers.

Some say Gertz married into money after wedding billionaire investor Tony Ressler.

But this is maybe beside the point, as Gertz and Ressler are also known for their charitable endeavours.

In 2012, the Giving Back Fund named Gertz and her husband as the number one donor to charity of any other celebrity after a record $10 million donation to the Ressler-Gertz Foundation, which primarily focuses on the arts, education, health and Jewish organizations.

So, while people claim to not know who she is and she has accumulated wealth beyond her acting gigs, her philanthropy is perhaps what sets her apart.