Jami Gertz Net Worth 2026: The $12 Billion Fortune of Hollywood’s Quietest Billionaire

Jami Gertz has not had a major movie role in years. She has not starred in a hit television series since The Neighbors ended in 2014. Her last acting credit was a supporting role in the 2022 Amazon film I Want You Back. And yet, at 60, she is the richest actress in the world, with an estimated net worth of $12 billion according to Celebrity Net Worth.

The number is staggering, and it invites skepticism. Gertz was never a box office titan. She was a working actress, a familiar face from Sixteen Candles, The Lost Boys, Less Than Zero, and Twister, and a steady television presence on Still Standing and Ally McBeal. Her fortune does not come from residuals or endorsement deals. It comes from a thirty-seven-year marriage to Tony Ressler, the billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management and Ares Management, and from the business empire they have built together.

But Gertz has spent years pushing back against the narrative that she simply married into wealth. “Everyone thinks I married a rich guy,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in a 2018 interview. “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. I married him because I fell in love with him.” Understanding Jami Gertz’s net worth in 2026 means taking that claim seriously and understanding how a working actress from Glenview, Illinois, became a billionaire.

Quick Facts

Full Name: Jami Beth Gertz
Born: October 28, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois
Age (2026): 60
Occupation: Actress, producer, businesswoman, sports team owner
Key Roles: Sixteen Candles (1984), The Lost Boys (1987), Less Than Zero (1987), Twister (1996), Still Standing (2002–2006), Ally McBeal (1997–2000)
Spouse: Tony Ressler (married 1989)
Children: Three sons: Oliver, Nicholas, and Theo
Business Interests: Atlanta Hawks (co-owner), Milwaukee Brewers (minority owner), Lime Orchard Productions, Laurel Grove Capital
Estimated Net Worth (2026): $12 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth

Early Life

Jami Beth Gertz was born on October 28, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in the nearby suburb of Glenview. Her family was working-class, and she has described her upbringing as modest. She was discovered at age 16 when she attended a talent search and landed a role on the short-lived CBS sitcom Square Pegs, starring Sarah Jessica Parker.

The role changed her life. “When I was 16, I made more money than my dad,” she recalled on a 2024 episode of Resilience with Richard Cabral. “That changes the dynamic. That changes a lot of things in your life.” She graduated from Glenbrook South High School and briefly attended the University of Chicago before leaving to pursue acting full-time.

She appeared in The Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, and Family Ties before landing her first major film role in Sixteen Candles (1984) as Robin, the popular girl. Three years later, she starred in The Lost Boys as Star and in Less Than Zero as Blair, opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Andrew McCarthy. By the late 1980s, she was a recognized face in Hollywood.

Career

Gertz’s acting career spanned four decades and encompassed film, television, and theater. Her most commercially successful film was Twister (1996), in which she played Dr. Melissa Reeves. The film was a massive box office hit, though it also earned her a Razzie nomination for Worst Actress. She received an Emmy nomination for her guest role on Ally McBeal in 2000, and she starred in the long-running sitcom Still Standing from 2002 to 2006, followed by The Neighbors from 2012 to 2014.

But her career was never defined by a single breakout role or a franchise. She was a working actress, consistently employed but rarely the center of attention. That changed in 1989, when she married Tony Ressler, a banker at the now-defunct Drexel Burnham Lambert. The couple met in 1986, introduced by her publicist, Susan Geller, at a dinner party Ressler was hosting. “He was a nice guy with a job,” Gertz told The Hollywood Reporter. “Which is what any Jewish girl from Glenview would want.”

Ressler’s career took off after Drexel Burnham Lambert went bankrupt in 1990 due to illegal dealings in the junk bond market. He subsequently co-founded Apollo Global Management and, seven years later, Ares Management. The latter became a $125 billion asset manager, and it made him a billionaire.

Gertz did not stop working. She continued acting, produced films through her company Lime Orchard Productions, and became increasingly involved in the couple’s business ventures. In 2015, they bought the Atlanta Hawks for $720 million, a move that Gertz has said was as much her decision as his. “He looked at me, and I looked at him, and he’s like, ‘Jami, are we going to do this?'” she recalled. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know. I’m so scared.’ And he’s like, ‘It would be so much fun!’ And then we were jumping and screaming, ‘Oh my God, we just bought a basketball team!'”

Major Achievements

Emmy nomination for guest actress in a comedy series for Ally McBeal (2000)
Co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA franchise, purchased in 2015 for $720 million
Minority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers MLB franchise
Founder of Lime Orchard Productions, a film and television production company
Founder of Laurel Grove Capital, an investment company
Co-founder of The Painted Turtle Camp, a nonprofit for children with chronic illnesses
$50 million donation to LACMA in 2026, with the south wing named the Ressler Family Wing
Star of two long-running sitcoms, Still Standing and The Neighbors

Business Ventures

Gertz’s business portfolio is built on two pillars: sports ownership and private investment.

The Atlanta Hawks are the most visible asset. The couple bought the NBA franchise in 2015 for $720 million, and Gertz has become the public face of the ownership group. She has represented the Hawks at the NBA draft lottery in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and Ressler has credited her with a skill set he lacks. “I think it’s fair to say that she makes a better impression on our fan base than any of us in the organization,” he said. “I’m very active in the business and player personnel decision-making. But Jami steps in when it comes to so many parts of the business that I did not appreciate or have any experience in.”

The Milwaukee Brewers are the couple’s other sports investment. They are members of the investment group that purchased the MLB team, though their exact stake is not publicly disclosed.

Lime Orchard Productions is Gertz’s own production company, founded in 2007. It has been involved in projects including The Monkey, Heretic, Dune: Prophecy, and One Piece. The company represents her continued involvement in the entertainment industry, even as she has stepped back from acting.

Laurel Grove Capital is her investment company. No reliable public information is available on its portfolio or the size of its assets, but it represents a formal structure for her personal investments, separate from her husband’s firms.

Gertz’s real estate holdings are substantial. She and Ressler own a $60 million Malibu beachfront home on Broad Beach, a Beverly Hills estate worth an estimated $17 million to $30 million, and a property in Atlanta, where they relocated after buying the Hawks. The Malibu home is described as the “crown jewel” of their portfolio, an 11,000-square-foot Mediterranean villa on two acres of prime coastal land.

Public Image

Gertz’s public image is defined by a paradox. She is one of the richest women in entertainment, yet she is not a celebrity in the traditional sense. She does not have a social media presence. She does not give interviews often. She does not walk red carpets or attend awards shows. When she does appear in public, it is usually alongside her husband at a philanthropic event, and the coverage inevitably focuses on her wealth.

She has been described as the “unknown” richest actress, a label that frustrates her. In a 2018 interview, she made a point of emphasizing her own financial independence before her marriage. “I made more money, way more money, than Tony when I met him,” she said. “I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation.” The claim is supported by her early career success. She was a working actress in the 1980s, earning substantial sums at a time when Ressler was still a mid-level banker.

The 2026 LACMA gala was a rare public outing for the couple. They donated $50 million to the museum, and the south wing of the new David Geffen Galleries was named the Ressler Family Wing. Gertz wore an all-white ensemble with a botanical-patterned coat, and the couple posed for photos that were widely covered by entertainment media. It was a reminder that, even in her semi-retirement, she remains a figure of fascination.

Personal Life

Gertz met Tony Ressler in 1986, when she was 21 and had just finished filming The Lost Boys. Her publicist introduced them at a dinner party Ressler was hosting. They married in 1989 and have been together for 37 years, one of the longest-lasting marriages in Hollywood.

They have three sons: Oliver, Nicholas, and Theo. The family lived in Beverly Hills before relocating to Atlanta after purchasing the Hawks. In a 2001 interview with People, Gertz said she had stepped back from acting to focus on her children: “I’m focused on being a wife and mom now. My first question when I’m offered a part is, ‘Where’s it being shot?'”

Her sons have taken an interest in the Hawks, and Gertz has said that family life remains her priority. She and Ressler are active philanthropists, having co-founded The Painted Turtle Camp, a nonprofit that provides camp experiences for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Gertz has also served on the board of the Melanoma Research Alliance.

Net Worth (Estimated)

Jami Gertz’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at $12 billion by Celebrity Net Worth, a figure that has been widely reported by outlets including IMDb, Vietnam.vn, and The Mirror. That estimate places her at the top of the list of the world’s richest female actresses, far surpassing Oprah Winfrey, Zhao Wei, and Jennifer Lopez.

The $12 billion figure is not universally agreed upon, and the discrepancy between sources is significant. **Forbes** has reported her net worth at around **$8 billion**. Veja and Gazeta Digital have both cited $10 billion. The differences reflect varying methodologies and the inherent difficulty of separating her personal wealth from her husband’s.

Tony Ressler’s net worth is estimated at $11 billion to $13.8 billion by Forbes, making him the 303rd wealthiest person in the world as of April 2026. The couple’s combined fortune is often the basis for estimates of Gertz’s net worth, which is why figures vary so widely. If her wealth is calculated as half of their combined assets, the number is lower than if it is calculated as the full value of their joint holdings.

What is clear is that the bulk of Gertz’s fortune comes from the couple’s shared business ventures, not from her acting career. The Atlanta Hawks, purchased for $720 million in 2015, are now valued at over $3 billion, according to Sportico. The Milwaukee Brewers are worth over $1 billion. Ressler’s stakes in Apollo Global Management and Ares Management are worth billions. And the couple’s real estate portfolio, including the $60 million Malibu home, is substantial.

Gertz’s own earnings from acting, while significant in the 1980s and 1990s, are a small fraction of the total. She has said she made more than Ressler when they met, but his fortune has grown exponentially since then. The $12 billion figure reflects the couple’s combined wealth, not her independent earnings.

Editor’s Note: Net worth figures are estimates compiled from publicly available sources and may vary depending on methodology. Late Magazine does not have access to private financial records and does not present these figures as confirmed or audited.

Interesting Facts

Gertz was discovered at age 16 at a talent search and landed a role on Square Pegs alongside Sarah Jessica Parker.
She made more money than her father at 16, which she has said changed her family dynamics.
She met Tony Ressler in 1986 at a dinner party he was hosting, introduced by her publicist.
She paid for their first house and their first vacation before Ressler became a billionaire.
The couple bought the Atlanta Hawks for $720 million in 2015.
She has represented the Hawks at the NBA draft lottery three times.
She owns a $60 million Malibu beachfront home and a Beverly Hills estate.
She co-founded The Painted Turtle Camp, a nonprofit for children with chronic illnesses.
She donated $50 million to LACMA in 2026; the south wing is named after her family.
Her last acting credit was in the 2022 film I Want You Back.

Legacy

Jami Gertz’s legacy is one of quiet transformation. She was a working actress, never a superstar, and she has become one of the wealthiest women in entertainment. She did it not through a blockbuster franchise or a viral moment, but through a partnership with a man who built one of the most successful asset management firms in the world, and through her own willingness to invest, own, and lead.

Her decision to step back from acting to raise her children and focus on business was unconventional for a woman of her generation. She has been rewarded for it with a fortune that exceeds the earnings of almost any actress who stayed in the industry. And she has used that fortune for philanthropy, supporting children’s charities and cultural institutions.

At 60, Gertz remains largely out of the spotlight, appearing only occasionally at gala events or on the sidelines of Hawks games. Her net worth may be disputed, and her claim to the title of “richest actress in the world” may be contested. But her place in the history of Hollywood wealth is secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jami Gertz’s net worth in 2026?
Celebrity Net Worth estimates her net worth at $12 billion. Forbes has reported figures around $8 billion, while other sources cite $10 billion. The discrepancy reflects different methodologies for valuing her shared wealth with her husband, Tony Ressler. These are estimates and should not be treated as confirmed.

How did Jami Gertz make her money?
The bulk of her fortune comes from her marriage to Tony Ressler, the billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management and Ares Management. She also owns the Atlanta Hawks NBA team with Ressler, holds a minority stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, and runs her own production company, Lime Orchard Productions, and investment firm, Laurel Grove Capital.

Did Jami Gertz marry a rich guy?
Gertz has consistently rejected that characterization. “I made more money, way more money, than Tony when I met him,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. “I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation. I married him because I fell in love with him.” Ressler was a mid-level banker when they met; his fortune came later.

What is Jami Gertz’s connection to the Atlanta Hawks?
She and Tony Ressler purchased the Atlanta Hawks for $720 million in 2015. She has become the public face of the ownership group, representing the team at NBA draft lotteries and taking an active role in fan engagement and business operations.

What is Lime Orchard Productions?
Lime Orchard Productions is Jami Gertz’s production company, founded in 2007. It has been involved in projects including The Monkey, Heretic, Dune: Prophecy, and One Piece.

What is Laurel Grove Capital?
Laurel Grove Capital is Jami Gertz’s investment company. No reliable public information is available on its portfolio or the size of its assets.

Jami Gertz Net Worth 2026