If you were to poll a crowd outside the TCL Chinese Theatre on who holds the title of Hollywood’s wealthiest actress, the responses would be predictable: the media empire of Oprah Winfrey, the box-office dominance of Reese Witherspoon, or perhaps the enduring brand of Jennifer Aniston.
Yet, as of 2026, all of them are eclipsed by a woman whose name rarely grazes the headlines of Variety or The Hollywood Reporter these days. She isn’t fronting a Marvel franchise or sweeping the festival circuit. In fact, many younger moviegoers might struggle to place her face at all. Yet, with a staggering net worth now estimated at $12 billion, Jami Gertz has secured a financial legacy that makes the typical A-list salary look like pocket change.
How did a girl from suburban Glenview, Illinois—a “working actress” of the 1980s—surpass the collective fortunes of nearly every major star in the industry? The answer is a masterclass in long-term vision, savvy partnership, and a refusal to be defined by the “fame for fame’s sake” machine.
From Glenview to “The Lost Boys”: The Discovery
Long before the billion-dollar valuations, Gertz was the daughter of a Chicago-area builder and contractor. Her path to stardom began not with a silver spoon, but with a nationwide talent search conducted by legendary producer Norman Lear.
“I was found at a search, thrown right in, and that was it,” Gertz famously recalled of her sudden immersion into the industry.
As a teenager and young adult, she became a quintessential face of the 1980s. Audiences fell for her in cult classics like Sixteen Candles, The Lost Boys, and Less Than Zero. By age 16, she was already experiencing the jarring reality of upward mobility. “I made more money than my dad,” she said. “That changes the dynamic. That changes a lot of things in your life.”
The Breadwinner and the Banker: A “Soul Connection”
While her peers were chasing blockbusters, Gertz made a decision that would define her future: she prioritized privacy and stability over the Hollywood spotlight. In 1986, at the height of her teen-idol fame, she was introduced to Tony Ressler, a young financier who—remarkably—had no idea who she was.
“All I knew was that she was a working actress,” Ressler told The Hollywood Reporter. At the time of their 1989 marriage, Gertz was the undisputed breadwinner. Ressler’s firm, Drexel Burnham Lambert, had just collapsed into a historic bankruptcy. It was Gertz who paid for their first home and their early vacations.
“Everyone thinks I married a rich guy,” Gertz once countered. “But I made more money—way more money—than Tony when I met him. I married him because I fell in love with him.”
Building an Empire: From Private Equity to the NBA
The “rich guy” narrative only took hold years later as the couple built their fortune together. In 1990, Ressler co-founded Apollo Global Management, and in 1997, he launched Ares Management. These firms evolved into global powerhouses, managing hundreds of billions in assets.
Gertz wasn’t merely a witness to this growth; she was a partner in the diversification of their wealth. In 2015, the couple led a group that acquired the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks for $850 million—an investment that has since quadrupled in value. Gertz took an active role, often serving as the public face of the ownership and even representing the team at the NBA Draft Lottery.
A Legacy of Quiet Philanthropy
Despite her astronomical wealth, Gertz’s public appearances are largely restricted to her charitable work. In 2012, she and Ressler were named the #1 most charitable celebrity couple in America, after donating $10 million in a single year to their foundation.
Her philanthropic footprint is vast:
- The Gertz-Ressler High Academy: A public charter school serving underprivileged communities in Los Angeles.
- The Painted Turtle: A summer camp for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.
- Melanoma Research Alliance: Gertz serves as a board director for the world’s largest non-profit funder of skin cancer research.
The Richest Actress Alive
Today, at 60, Jami Gertz represents a unique hybrid of Hollywood nostalgia and Wall Street acumen. While she still takes the occasional role—memorable turns in Seinfeld, Entourage, and Modern Family remind us of her comedic timing—she has successfully transitioned from “star” to “mogul.”
Her $12 billion fortune isn’t just an anomaly; it’s a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most successful career move is stepping back from the spotlight to focus on the long game.
