Who are the richest celebrities in the world? Madonna, Paul McCartney, Oprah… now maybe Kanye West???!!! You'll definitely recognize every name on this list of incredibly wealthy celebrities, but their actual net worth fortunes will raise some eyebrows.
The minimum net worth required to be one of the richest celebrities on the planet this year was $600 million. Believe it or not, there are TWELVE celebrity billionaires in the world today.
Before we dive into this list of the top 30-richest celebs, a quick clarification/point of consideration – We very recently published a list of the richest athletes in the world. With a net worth of $2.2 billion, Michael Jordan took the crown. Should Michael Jordan ALSO be considered a "celebrity?" We ended up deciding YES. He and one other athlete is included on this list for two reasons: 1) They both earned the vast, vast, vast majority of their fortunes outside of their respective sports, and 2) They are both arguably more famous over the last decade for their non-athletic accomplishments.
So let's get down to business. Show business. Below is our list of…
The 30 Richest Celebrities In The World 2020:
#30: Simon Cowell Net Worth: $600 million
First gaining fame in the US, thanks to American Idol (which debuted in 2002), Simon Cowell has gone on to create a television empire that includes The X Factor, America's Got Talent, and Britain's Got Talent. The problem with American Idol was that he didn't own the show. He was just a very highly-paid judge and producer. Today he sits atop a television empire and a $600 million dollar fortune.
#29: Matt Groening Net Worth: $600 million
Matt Groening is a writer, cartoonist, and producer with a net worth around $600 million dollars. He is primarily known as the creator of the animated television comedies "The Simpsons" and "Futurama." Both shows were critical and commercial hits while "The Simpsons" continues to enjoy a huge fan base as one of the longest-running shows in television history. More recently, Groening created a show for Netflix called Disenchantment.
#28: Julio Iglesias Net Worth: $600 million
Julio Iglesias is a Spanish singer and songwriter whose net worth is estimated at around $600 million. With record sales of over 300 million, Iglesias has been named the biggest-selling Latin artist of all time by Sony Music Entertainment. First popular in his native Spain, he grew an audience in Europe and Latin America before finally becoming a household name in the United States in the early 1980s. On top of his immense popularity as a singer, Iglesias also has a vast real estate portfolio worth upwards of $300 million.
#27: Jimmy Buffett Net Worth: $600 million
Jimmy Buffett is a musician, author, and entrepreneur worth an estimated $600 million. Though he hasn't spent much time at the top of the music charts, Buffett has managed to cultivate a devoted fan base – known as "Parrotheads" – who flock to his shows and purchase his many Margaritaville-related products. It’s this expansion into so many other income streams, including restaurants, hotels, and frozen meals, that has led to his wealth.
#26: Dolly Parton Net Worth: $600 million
Dolly Parton is a singer, actress, and entrepreneur with a net worth of around $600 million. She is one of the most recognizable voices in country music. Along with numerous hits and successful albums, Parton was also successful as a television presenter, even gaining her own show in the late 1970s. Parton's acting career took off not long after. Much of Parton's wealth has come from both her own record sales as well as money made from other artists using her songs, the most famous of these being Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You" for the film "The Bodyguard."
#25: Howard Stern Net Worth: $650 million
Howard Stern is a writer, actor, and radio and television personality with an estimated fortune of $650 million. Though most of his wealth comes from his talk radio shows, Stern has also had great success in a number of other media outlets. His autobiography, "Private Parts," was Simon & Schuster's fastest-selling book upon its release and was later made into a film starring Stern himself. Stern also served as a judge on America's Got Talent for four seasons. He is currently the highest-paid radio personality in America.
#24: Matt Stone Net Worth: $700 million
Matt Stone is a writer, voice actor, and producer with a net worth of $700 million. Known primarily as the co-creator of "South Park" alongside Trey Parker, the duo has also dabbled in film and musical theater. Their smash hit musical "Book of Mormon" continues to bring in huge amounts of revenue through ticket sales around the world. Most of Stone's wealth, however, is due to a very smart contract negotiation in his early days at Comedy Central, which allowed Stone and Parker to keep 50% of the revenue from digital streaming rights. The reason you’re not seeing his co-creator, Trey Parker, on this list is because he and his long-term wife separated in 2019 and are likely on track for a VERY expensive divorce.
#23: James Cameron Net Worth: $700 million
James Cameron is a filmmaker whose net worth is roughly $700 million. As a director, he's known for his innovative style and strong storytelling skills. His film credits include Aliens, Terminator, and True Lies. Two of his films have also topped the list of highest-grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar. Due to some wise business choices around backend profits from the film Titanic, Cameron has netted hundreds of millions from the film alone.
#22: Bono Net Worth: $700 million
Bono is an Irish singer, songwriter, and philanthropist with a net worth of around $700 million. As the lead singer of the band U2, Bono helped build the group into one of the most successful rock bands of all time. The group has released music steadily since the late 1970s and continues to be a big box office draw worldwide. Bono's Elevation Partners investment group made headlines with a large, pre-IPO investment into Facebook that netted the group over $1.5 billion. However, Bono's take-home share was only likely to be between $40 or $50 million.
#21: Kylie Jenner Net Worth: $700 million
Kylie Jenner is known as a TV personality, entrepreneur, and reality TV personality. Though she had early success as a model and secured endorsement deals with a number of companies, much of her fortune comes from her own cosmetics line, Kylie Cosmetics. The company had been incredibly popular from the start, buoyed no doubt by her social media presence. However, it wasn't until the 2019 sale of a 51% stake in the company to Coty Inc. that her personal wealth hit the stratosphere.
#20: Tiger Woods Net Worth: $800 million
Like Michael Jordan, listed later in this article, we debated whether or not to include Tiger Woods on a list of the world's richest celebrities. In the end, we decided they both deserve inclusion because: A) they are celebrities, and B) even though they are athletes, they both earned 90% of their fortune outside of their respective sports. Tiger has earned well over a billion dollars during his career from endorsements. And even though he has had some injury and personal life setbacks in recent years, he's still swinging on the golf course.
As of this writing, Tiger Woods' net worth is $800 million.
#19: Jim Davis Net Worth: $800 million
Creator of one of the most beloved comic strips of all time, "Garfield," Jim Davis is a cartoonist with a net worth of around $800 million. Davis's "Garfield" comics have been published since 1978 and became the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world. This led to a number of spin-offs, including a Garfield television series and multiple films. On top of creating cartoons, Davis's charitable efforts include supporting children's literacy.
#18: James Patterson Net Worth: $800 million
James Patterson is an American novelist worth an estimated $800 million. Few other authors have had as many successful books as Patterson, owed primarily to their fast-moving plots and a publishing schedule that sees multiple books released every year. Since the release of his first book in 1976, he has released 95 novels, many of which have topped a number of bestseller lists. In recent years, Patterson has taken to co-writing with a number of other authors, allowing him to produce more novels and further expand his publishing fortune.
#17: Celine Dion Net Worth: $800 million
Celine Dion is a Canadian singer whose net worth stands at roughly $800 million. Dion garnered attention at an early age in her native Quebec, releasing nine French-language albums before the age of 18. International success followed throughout the 90s, culminating in the international smash hit, "My Heart Will Go On,"
